At its “Back to the Mac” press conference, Apple unveiled the Mac App Store for the current Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6) and the upcoming Lion (OS X 10.7) operating systems. The Mac App Store replicates the simple experience of purchasing apps for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch devices. It also offers the 70/30 split between free apps and paid apps, as well as developer revenue and Apple’s cut. Here’s more info from the press release:
The Mac App Store brings the revolutionary App Store experience to OS X, making discovering, installing and updating Mac apps easier than ever. Like on iPad, you purchase apps using your iTunes account and they download and install in just one step. App updates are delivered directly through the Mac App Store, so it’s easy to keep all of your apps up to date. The Mac App Store will be available for Snow Leopard within 90 days and will be included in Lion when it ships next summer.
I’ve been thinking about the Mac App Store all day (even while watching the Yankees beat the crap out of the Rangers). My initial thought was, “This is going to be frickin’ huge!” After digesting the information for several hours I have come to the conclusion that this is going to be frickin’ huge!
From Apple’s perspective, this is an ingenious way to trap customers into its walled garden. For consumers, the convenience of buying apps in a simple and straightforward way is brilliant. The apps can be used across multiple machines, which is great for people with multiple Macs. I’m sure Apple feels that once people invest in the ecosystem, it will be harder for them to leave; it’s similar to how many iPhone users are reluctant to switch platforms because they have bought so many iPhone apps. If people buy numerous Mac App Store apps, they’re less likely to switch to Windows (or Linux).
I also expect more developers than ever to flock to the Mac platform. Some analysts have stated that Mac OS accounts for 10 percent of the personal computers in North America and 20 percent globally. I believe that the Mac App Store will help grow the installed base.
I’m convinced that this is Apple’s most significant software and services product since the original iTunes. As you know, iTunes helped Apple dominate with the iPod, enjoy enormous success with the iPhone, and legitimize the tablet market with the iPad. While the results won’t be as dramatic as what it did with the iPod, I think the Mac App Store will invigorate the Mac software scene, attract new customers, and make existing customers more likely to purchase a Mac in the future.
Then again, I could be totally wrong. What do you think of the Mac App Store? Is it a genius move by Apple? Or am I overstating the impact that it will have?
A guy on BGR had a decent thought about this store…will developers actually use it? His logic was that since you are on a Mac anyway you are used to using a 3rd party site to get your software. Typically free. So if a dev can sell their software from their own website why would they invest in a 70/30 split with Apple? I'm sure a lot of the other nuances that go with the iOS app store are included in that train of thought. I thought it was an interesting perspective though.
Exposure is great and I wonder if Apple would can free apps that simply advertised a way to buy a dev's apps outside of the app store?
I haven't made up my mind if I will utilize this store on my iMac yet. I'm not a big fan of the modal computing they were highlighting today.
Being promoted on the "front page" of the Mac App Store would be incredibly valuable for a lot of small and medium-sized developers. Plus, when it launches I'm sure the Mac App Store will hurt traffic for third-party sites. I'm sure there will be some kind of marketing that "official" apps are better and safer, even if they're not; that will fool newcomers.
Agreed on the featured apps page. Do you think this could lead to not being able to execute 3rd party software on OSX? I shudder at the thought of it.
This could be useful though when looking for some softwares though. I'm just not thrilled about modal computing. I multitask a lot so it seems inhibitive.
That would be pretty extreme. I can't imagine Apple pissing off that many developers…at least initially. If the Mac App Store becomes super popular and Apple makes all of its laptops discless then…. Nah, I rather not go there.
Discless could happen, the Air has a USB stick for restoring the OS. I could see that in the near future.
I'd bet it would happen. Apple doesn't want to put Blu-ray drives in any of its machines, since that would cut into iTunes sales/rentals. Jobs and Ives also love what eliminating a drive bay does for aesthetics, battery life, weight, and form factor.
I'm interested to see what the USB stick includes. The stock has Mac OS and iLife. What if you opt for pre-installed software like Final Cut, iWork, etc. Is that on there too?
i'd imagine that would be a "free download" off of their store.
The latest buzz is that Apple is considering Mac App Store only for its computers that aren't designated "Pro". I think my Bay Area industry friends are getting way ahead of themselves on this one. It's certainly possible, but far too soon to tell.
As in, if it doesn't say Pro you aren't allowed to execute software not designated "good" by Apple? That would seriously undermine their success as of late I would think.
Yeah, that's the speculation. MacBooks and iMacs would be restricted to the App Store (and presumably lack optical and platter drives). MacBook Pros and Mac Pros would be open. That plan seems too aggressive to me.
Or just a 32gig stick maybe? Maybe 2 sticks. I received 2 discs for each Mac I bought, not including my Snow Leopard upgrade.
All this is moot with time machine though.
I think you hit it on the button Rpad this is going to be fickin' huge. On paper this will be great for Apple almost immediately but I think the Mac App Store will really kick ass in about 2 to 3 years. Like you said so many people are already heavily involved with Apple products and just as many people are on the fence with it, but all it takes is one great experience in the distortion field and your hooked. So many people love the iPad that don't have Macs and that is a huge selling point. Throw in the that magic track pad so users can have that same touch experience, plus the Mac App Store and that smells like success to me. It could go the way of Apple Tv. We all know about it but no really knows about or uses it.
Plus…the trackpad is magic. It says so on the box.
@Ray
Yeah that would seriously push me to Windows again. I don't need iOS running my home computer and further restricting what I can do. Maybe I want that NAZI killing game or something else they don't deem appropriate for their store.
We'll see when 10.7 gets closer I imagine.