Mac App Store Hits 100 Million Downloads

[MacRumors]

Apple today announced that its Mac App Store has surpassed 100 million downloads in less than one year of availability.

"In just three years the App Store changed how people get mobile apps, and now the Mac App Store is changing the traditional PC software industry," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "With more than 100 million downloads in less than a year, the Mac App Store is the largest and fastest growing PC software store in the world."

The press release also offers promotional comments from representatives of Autodesk, Pixelmator, and algoriddim highlighting the value of the platform for app distribution on the Mac platform.

The Mac App Store's pace pales in comparison to that of the App Store for iOS, which easily surpassed 100 million downloads in less than three months of availability back in 2008. But with a smaller user base, a smaller library of applications, more expensive average pricing, and the fact that the Mac App Store is not an exclusive official distribution platform for OS X, it is unsurprising that the Mac App Store has grown more slowly than its iOS counterpart.

Apple has worked hard to shift Mac application distribution to the Mac App Store, moving most of its own software, including OS X Lion, to the store and in many cases also discontinuing or severely limiting availability of boxed versions of its software. The Mac App Store is also gaining traction with even the largest developers of Mac App Store, and while flagship products such as Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop are not yet available through the store, Adobe does offer several applications including Photoshop Elements via the store. Microsoft is also said to be "actively working" to bring Office to the Mac App Store.

Update: Apple provided some additional information on the milestone to The Loop, noting that the number does not include purchases of OS X Lion, updates to previously-downloaded apps, or repeat downloads from a single user installing apps on multiple computers.

Article Link: Mac App Store Hits 100 Million Downloads

 

[BJB Productions]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I still just don't use it that much. I've downloaded three apps since it became available. I'm not against the App Store, but it just doesn't have enough yet.

 

[nwcs]

Still, they need to address several significant shortcomings of the mac app store model:

1. Trial software
2. Discounted upgrades to new versions
3. Transferring licenses from apps purchased outside of MAS to MAS

If they can address those three critical things then I think they would have something really good. Right now it's just something I have to have for Lion and other OS updates.

Edit: Bonus #4: A better way of finding apps. Just like iBooksore, it's just a royal pain to look for things outside the top 25 of a broadly defined category.

 

[Frosticus]

Still, they need to address several significant shortcomings of the mac app store model:

1. Trial software
2. Discounted upgrades to new versions
3. Transferring licenses from apps purchased outside of MAS to MAS

If they can address those three critical things then I think they would have something really good. Right now it's just something I have to have for Lion and other OS updates.

Agreed, free trial versions, or perhaps even those following the "freemium" model, which are now abundant on the iOS App Store would be good.

 

[mdelvecchio]

I use it. FTP client, productivity tools.... why would I want to input my credit card info ten times into ten different databases when I don't have to? toss in easy updates and it's a no-brainer.

 

[Kaibelf]

Still, they need to address several significant shortcomings of the mac app store model:

1. Trial software
2. Discounted upgrades to new versions
3. Transferring licenses from apps purchased outside of MAS to MAS

If they can address those three critical things then I think they would have something really good. Right now it's just something I have to have for Lion and other OS updates.

1. What retailers give you trial software?
2. It would be nice if there was a mechanism for that, but I think it would have to be something tied in with Apple in which they handle the licenses, and I'm not sure they would want to be worrying about others' licensing.
3. Agreed, but again, that's up to the developer, and many, to be frank, probably never even kept track of who bought their stuff.

 

[AppEzzy]

Wow pretty awesome, I was just thinking the other day and wondering if it was taking off. Use it sporadically but every time it is a nice seamless way to pick up software. Great job Apple!

 

[mdelvecchio]

3. Transferring licenses from apps purchased outside of MAS to MAS.

Edit: Bonus #4: A better way of finding apps. Just like iBooksore, it's just a royal pain to look for things outside the top 25 of a broadly defined category.

you probably won't see much on #3, since they want users to switch to the MAS, so why acknowledge non-MAS... if your app comes out for MAS they may figure you'll probably get your next upgrade on it.

as for #4, don't most people know what they're looking for and use search to get it? I don't spend any time browsing digital software stores.

 

[tigress666]

Agreed, free trial versions, or perhaps even those following the "freemium" model, which are now abundant on the iOS App Store would be good.

Freemium model? Are you serious?!!!

Do you realize how expensive freemium gets? And in general is annoying to try to use if you do want to use it "free"? Most of the time I'd rather pay for the whole software than have to pay for it piece by piece (which can get ridiculous in price under the freemium model, sometimes never ending cause you have to keep paying).

I'd like to see it go extinct and hell no would I like to see it come to computer software. I'd like to actually be able to own and use the software, not "rent" it.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Agreed, free trial versions, or perhaps even those following the "freemium" model, which are now abundant on the iOS App Store would be good.

Oh Gawd. No "freemium" apps please. Nothing is more annoying than the "free" apps that do little until you purchase "in app" options. Before you know it the "free" app cost more than if you just purchased a full featured version outright. Plus it's annoying to keep getting nickel and dimed for basic features.

As for trial version -- completely unnecessary for the very reason Apple doesn't allow them. It clutters up the store, hogs bandwidth. Unlike iOS apps, users can d/l trial versions from multiple sites online, including the developer's site.

 

[somethingelsefl]

Am I the only one who read Phil Schiller's quote in his voice? Maybe I watch too many Apple Keynotes.

 

[iBug2]

Am I the only one who read Phil Schiller's quote in his voice? Maybe I watch too many Apple Keynotes.

Hahahahahah, I think I did that too.

 

[clientsiman]

I've downloaded six apps since it became available. The only problem I have is that Evernote do not get updated. I have version 3.03 installed from the Mac store but the Evernote store page said that the latest is 3.04. Running Lion btw.

 

[mw360]

1. What retailers give you trial software?
2. It would be nice if there was a mechanism for that, but I think it would have to be something tied in with Apple in which they handle the licenses, and I'm not sure they would want to be worrying about others' licensing.
3. Agreed, but again, that's up to the developer, and many, to be frank, probably never even kept track of who bought their stuff.

I don't think Apple (or Jobs) wanted free trials. I think they wanted to encourage developers to lower their prices.

Its the same with upgrades. If the user has to pay full price for v2, full price better be darned cheap.

The Mac App Store like all their stores is just a way to make their hardware attractive. Low software pricing does that.

 

[nwcs]

you probably won't see much on #3, since they want users to switch to the MAS, so why acknowledge non-MAS... if your app comes out for MAS they may figure you'll probably get your next upgrade on it.

as for #4, don't most people know what they're looking for and use search to get it? I don't spend any time browsing digital software stores.

I would definitely say most people don't know what they're looking for and prefer to browse. But it inhibits exploring to do it the way they have it now. For example, what if I wanted to explore apps that do facial recognition. How would I even attempt that? I may know a little about it but not enough to know that software title X is the only one to choose.

Bruce Tognazzini's latest article touches on this pretty closely: http://www.asktog.com/columns/085BrowseVsSearch.html

 

[schenoweth]

What about the enterprise?

I think the App store is great for personal use, I use it quite often and have found some great apps along the way.

My biggest issus comes down to App store's lack of support for enterprise licensing. If Apple can add that feature in like they did with the iOS app store then I would be ecstatic.

 

[JHankwitz]

Still, they need to address several significant shortcomings of the mac app store model:

1. Trial software
2. Discounted upgrades to new versions
3. Transferring licenses from apps purchased outside of MAS to MAS

If they can address those three critical things then I think they would have something really good. Right now it's just something I have to have for Lion and other OS updates.

Edit: Bonus #4: A better way of finding apps. Just like iBooksore, it's just a royal pain to look for things outside the top 25 of a broadly defined category.

No, they don't need to address these shortcomings. They have a distribution model that they're offiring to those that wish to use it. In order to use it, you need to meet minimum requirements that ensure the product meets Apple's fundamental security and other perameters. If you don't wish to use it, use your own distribution model.

 

[BoxOfSnoo]

I would definitely say most people don't know what they're looking for and prefer to browse. But it inhibits exploring to do it the way they have it now. For example, what if I wanted to explore apps that do facial recognition. How would I even attempt that? I may know a little about it but not enough to know that software title X is the only one to choose.

Bruce Tognazzini's latest article touches on this pretty closely: http://www.asktog.com/columns/085BrowseVsSearch.html

I completely agree, all Apple has to do is look at something like Steam to understand how a store can work. Steam is still not perfect of course but much more useful.

WHY does the MAS not even have an "On Sale" category?

I've come to rely on the "Store News" app and AppShopper.com for any decent insight into the App Stores.

 

[OLDCODGER]

Won't touch it. I've never even fired up iTunes.

 

[roadbloc]

I like it. However I do wish it would have a 'Trial' button available (if the app developer wants it) so I can try before I buy. And I think it needs more Apps before it becomes the only way that OS X can get apps (inventible).

 

[SmalTek]

I don't think Apple (or Jobs) wanted free trials. I think they wanted to encourage developers to lower their prices.

Its the same with upgrades. If the user has to pay full price for v2, full price better be darned cheap.

The Mac App Store like all their stores is just a way to make their hardware attractive. Low software pricing does that.

Exactly.

 

[pumazooma]

I bet a big percentage of that was Lion and Xcode4.

 

[whooleytoo]

A minor annoyance with the Mac (and iOS) App Stores - you have to download the complete app for even a tiny incremental bug fix. Considering many apps are several GB, that's quite a pain.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

Freemium model? Are you serious?!!!

Do you realize how expensive freemium gets? And in general is annoying to try to use if you do want to use it "free"? Most of the time I'd rather pay for the whole software than have to pay for it piece by piece (which can get ridiculous in price under the freemium model, sometimes never ending cause you have to keep paying).

I'd like to see it go extinct and hell no would I like to see it come to computer software. I'd like to actually be able to own and use the software, not "rent" it.

Ugh, imagine a "freemium" version of MS Word...

----------

A minor annoyance with the Mac (and iOS) App Stores - you have to download the complete app for even a tiny incremental bug fix. Considering many apps are several GB, that's quite a pain.

I would guess we're getting delta updates eventually, since they've managed to accomplish that with the iOS system software updates.

 

[carmenodie]

Won't touch it. I've never even fired up iTunes.

Probably because you pirate all your stuff. I'm just saying.