Ahead of OS X Lion, Mac App Store Sales Numbers Still Comparably Small

[GoKyu]

If I'm shelling out a large amount of money, I'd still rather have physical media.

I like the idea of the MAS - years ago, things were much different - if you bought online, you usually had the option to buy the physical media TOO (for an extra fee), but also download immediately so you could use it that day.

I love that I can not only NOT have to download a bunch of DMGs to store as "backup", but that if I get a new machine, or have to reformat (thankfully *that's* mostly a thing of the past compared to Windows), I can just re-authorize the computer, enter my Apple ID, and redownload EVERYTHING I've purchased - it's already registered, don't need to worry about keeping up with serial numbers, etc.

This is the way it SHOULD be, and thanks to the MAS, it is. I still have a bunch of programs that are now on the MAS, but I still have licenses for older copies, so once they force me to upgrade, I'll just switch to the MAS version, and it's clear sailing, er, managing.

I prefer downloading the MAS version of apps if they exist, much easier for updates/installations. No DMGs to worry about discarding of.

Exactly!

The Mac App Store is a joke. Just keep it the traditional way: buying physical products or purchasing it directly from the developer's website.

The only good thing about the developers keeping a downloadable version on the website (other than for people who may not use/like the MAS), is that you can try a demo without being forced to pay, and having it as part of your permanent history whether you want it or not.

 

[tinman0]

I don't use MAS because I don't want to open it every time to check for updates. It's much more convenient if the program tells me an update is available instead.

?? How so?

I'm a fan of MAS, even going as far as deleting Opera the other day and re-downloading it from MAS to add it to the automatic update list.

To check for updates against the 30-40 apps i've downloaded requires me to open MAS once every couple of weeks, and there are all the updates in one click.

As apposed to opening every downloaded application and seeing if it detects an upgrade?

 

[Ulf1103]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; nl-nl) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)

I'm gonna use it for all THE free-apps

 

[blackburn]

I don't really care about the App Store. And I like to be able to restore programs from it's dmgs. And with sparkle who needs to worry about updates?

 

[old-wiz]

I've only bought 1 item off of the Mac App Store. It was Reeder and I only got it to support the developer.

Other than that, I'll get Lion and likely never use it again. I think piracy is still a huge issue.

I haven't bought anything from the Mac App Store. The only thing I'm likely to buy is the upgrade to Lion.

I still prefer to support developers directly and get physical media if possible.
In iTunes, I've only bought a few albums; virtually all the music on my iPod Touch comes from CDs loaded into iTunes.

guess I'm just an old fashioned old coot.

Also I like to be able to download trial or demo versions. I don't want to shell out $40 for a major app only to find out it's useless or full of bugs or simply doesn't work at all.

 

[AaronEdwards]

In iOS the only way to get apps is through the App Store ... on Macs you can get them from anywhere.

I'm certain Apple will fix that hole soon.

 

[Westyfield2]

I haven't used the Mac App Store at all.

I do like the whole buy once install on your Macs idea though . Are Adobe CS5 and Office 2011 available on it?

 

[CommodityFetish]

30% is way too much...

While that one-day performance resulted in a solid $2,500 payday for Schultz after Apple's 30% cut of revenue

So while he made $2,500 that day, apple made $1,071 with their 30% cut. I can't figure out why developers would be willing to hand over that much to apple?

And don't get me started about anti-competitive nature of such walled gardens...

I prefer to download my apps directly from developers' websites which helps support them. (I'm already supporting apple enough with the high margins on all their hardware, they are already doing just fine.)

 

[afd]

When the iOS App store came out it was the only and first place that you could get software (ignoring Jailbroken devices). People had empty phones and iPods that they needed to fill.
I just got a new iMac last week but it is full of software that I have downloaded or installed from disk over the past 12 years when I got a tangerine iMac. So I don't need to buy much software. When I do I will probably buy from the app store, but I pretty much have all that I need so it won't be that often.
I can see new Mac users that are used to the iOS store making good use of the Mac App store but it won't (at the moment) be as successful as the iOS store.

 

[Kaibelf]

What a pointless post. The mac store apps are far more expensive, so naturally you don't get the same level of sales as a store with most apps $0-0.99
As for wanting physical media...whatever.

 

[strelok1911]

If software wouldn't be so ****, I would use the Mac App store more often.
Where's Transmission? Where's Last.fm?* Where are the great free apps that everybody uses, which can find on the web?

*Some examples of apps that I use

 

[AaronEdwards]

If software wouldn't be so ****, I would use the Mac App store more often.
Where's Transmission? Where's Last.fm?* Where are the great free apps that everybody uses, which can find on the web?

*Some examples of apps that I use

30% of 0 is 0.

 

[tmiddleton]

i only buy apps if i want updates.

the best app id say that iv paid for would have to be iflicks.

use it on a daily basis. and the developer is amazing, he actually cares about the public.

 

[Yamcha]

I haven't bought a single thing from Mac App Store, I have downloaded a some free applications and games though.

As far as games go, honestly you have to admit that the vast majority of the games on the Mac App Store suck, so I'm not surprised if the sales aren't as high as they should be..

Maybe having demo's might help, no one wants to spend money on a game that may look good, but really sucks..

There are those few games that are really great, but mostly its just a bunch of junk , at least thats my opinion..

 

[roadbloc]

Of course the Mac App Store sale numbers are small in comparison to the iOS App Store's. A lot more people have iOS devices than Macs. Not to mention, the majority of Mac Apps are obtained elsewhere than the MAS, unlike iOS where all Apps are obtained on the store.

In other news, the sun is a star.

 

[mmcc]

Perhaps if they charge $1 for games they can sell more?

No, already tried that. It doesn't matter what price point you choose, the Mac App Store has not and will not generate increased revenue for the majority of developers -- in fact quite the opposite. In return for the Mac App Store and Apple's 30% take, I got fewer buyers at a lower price point along with the customer expectation that software is only worth 99 cents now and forever. Hardly a winning proposition.

 

[NAG]

An example of failure for upgrades in the App Sore is Xcode. If you buy it it doesn't install like every other App in the Store. No it downloads an installer into the Application folder from which you can install Xcode - great. So now HTF do I update. I still have Xcode 4.0 installed and it's listed a such in the App Store - but the update isn't offered. IMO a complete failure.

Wow, that is monumentally stupid. Glad I got it from the DevCenter.

If software wouldn't be so ****, I would use the Mac App store more often.
Where's Transmission? Where's Last.fm?* Where are the great free apps that everybody uses, which can find on the web?

*Some examples of apps that I use

Well for one, Transmission is a BitTorrent client which, if the track record from iOS is correct, will not be accepted by Apple.

 

[SgtPepper12]

People are just used to the standard way of getting software. Piracy.

 

[MattInOz]

I've spent a lot of money on the Mac App Store. Around 200$ so far...
Aperture, Unison, JoyysFastVNC, Pixelmator, PhotoStyler and some other stuff.

What I'm missing is a "Favourite" or "Setup" Section, where I can define which apps I really like and want to have in my default setup. Otherwise I'll just end up with a very very long list of apps I don't remember which was worth installing after some try-and-forget downloads and usage.

Lately I had to reinstall my MacBook from scratch and I was really happy to just click some buttons to install most of the software I needed. But after some time of using the Mac App Store, this wouldnt be possible anymore without any tagging of favourite apps.

I'd like to see the same graph for Pixelmator.
I'm thinking it would tell a very different story about the MAS.

iOS yes lots of device really diverse market games are the common deliminator for the platform so they are going to have the best numbers.

You play games on a Mac there are other/better channels. The common use for a Mac will be productivity apps. It's going to be a cross over app like Pixelmator or Omni groups products that is going to be most telling about the platform.

Wow, that is monumentally stupid. Glad I got it from the DevCenter.

Where you get told there is an update and you still have to go and download then re-install.

 

[Torrijos]

Wow, that is monumentally stupid. Glad I got it from the DevCenter.

For xCode updates to download you need to have the installer in the applications folder (stupid waste of space), if you really can't download the latest installer try maybe removing the receipts or even removing xCode.

But let me remind some of you that if you need to update a free version of xCode that you either got from the install DVD or with a free dev account, you ALWAYS had to download the full installer (yep even before the MAS).

Like everybody I really hope that Lion incremental updates are going to work as advertised, and work with xCode.

Then again you can only get xCode 4 through the MAS or if you are a PAYING developer. If you're just interested by xCode 4 (getting closer to developing a real iOS or Mac app) but not ready to pay a license (1-year!) giving you access to the store, getting it through MAS is fine.

 

[dreamora]

For me the main thing about MAS that I don't spend that much money there (I bought various things including some not that cheap things like Adobes Sketchbook Pro and Aperture and iWorks'11 once released will end there too) is less the price.

What really and truely pisses me off is that Apple is trying to introduce the same lacking and broken experience from iOS on the desktop.
With that I mean one simple thing which they lack behind the Microsoft Marketplace but which is a major thing to me (and various others going by this thread) and thats that iOS App Store / MAS both remove a concept as old and required as Apple themself and thats trials / shareware / demo.

Out of my view MAS is actively killing them cause many devs on OSX decided to go the MAS only route without even offering trials and most of them don't agree on the value of "Lite" versions since the last ranking system changes (if not already before).

As much as I'm willing to pay $30+ for software, I'm definitely not willing to pay that much and more (Final Cut Pro X anyone? Would love to get it but at $300 there is either a trial or the app can rott in its hole till its old and gray) without software offer me to try before buy.
I wouldn't mind all those devs that try to get away with $30+ for their apps while not offering any trial to out of business within the blink of an eye.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I think that pushing the 'App Store' idea to the iMac/MacBook market is stretching things too far. I don't think it will fail, but I'll bet the decision to push Lion on the Mac App Store is an attempt to build a following and show the purpose/need.

 

[ChrisA]

Many, maybe even most of the IOS apps ar things that really should have been done as a web page. But the authors can't sell web pages. I think it's odd that people will pay for an app but not for the web.

 

[r00fus]

When the App Store grows up, I'll be interested

Most programs that are really interesting aren't going near the App Store due to the various limitations that Apple has placed on developers.

This is fine, and good for the utilities, games and things that don't fall afoul of the rules, but I really use a lot of either freeware apps like Adium, Skype, Sequel Pro as well as some heavy hitters like Microsoft Office and VMWare Fusion.

When the MAS starts to be more inclusive, I'll be sure to buy all my stuff there.
For now, I just bought a few games and utilities there.

Also, if they would just migrate purchases from outside (a one-time would do nicely) to collect developers, that'd really push adoption of MAS.

 

[phpmaven]

I apologize if this has been said already, but, this is a pretty poor example to use as representative of app store sales. It's a poorly rated game and it doesn't look very appealing to me. There are also quite a few highly rated racing games that many would buy instead.

I'de like to see the numbers on a 4-1/2 star plus rated app.