IOS Lion is a warning of bad things to come.

[GuntherS]

I think the Mac App Store would be good for developers. Especially for the new developers.

With the Mac App Store it's so easy to find new software, just like on the iPad and iPhone/iPod touch. You can take a look at the top selling apps and people can share experiences with each-other by reviewing the apps. When you have a lot of positive reviews, people will be more motivated to buy your app.

It's a great way to easily install software and keeping it up to date. That's good news for new Mac users who like the simplicity of this.

You don't have to use the Mac App Store if you don't like it. You can just keep installing software the way you do it now.

 

[kingv84]

All the people on this thread who are scared and do not trust Apple, just pack your bags and move over to Redmond. The App store is not the only way to install apps, it is basically a digital download service like Steam and the old Windows Marketplace.

Most of the users on this forum are just spreading FUD about Apple planning to lock down the Mac. I do not see this happening, this would just spell the end of the Mac and force users toward Windows.

Let's all wait and see what happens. Let's not spread crap.

 

[mrblack927]

...this would just spell the end of the Mac and force users toward Windows...

For everyone spouting this line over and over. First of all, you don't know that. That's just as speculative as the idea that they would lock it down in the first place.

As others have pointed out, Apple does not market to us, the "power users". The vast majority of their consumer base is as computer illiterate as most of our parents and grandparents. The iPhone and iPad have enjoyed incredible success due to their simplicity and inability to "break", ie. you can't corrupt any files if you don't have access to the filesystem. Following this line of thought, I see no reason why they wouldn't want to apply this same business model to the Mac. If they do it right, not only would they not lose customers, they would probably see a massive boost in market share.

Just look at all the Windows 7 commercials... all they do now is advertise simplicity. That's what the majority wants. Blind, drop-dead obvious, simplicity. So Apple, being a for-profit corporation, has to choose whether to alienate a few million users (us) in order to gain tens of millions of users (the average consumer). What do you think they will choose?



*Side note: I only say this to point out the other side to this argument. Not necessarily that I think Apple will completely lock-down the Mac. I don't think they will. The fact is they have to support their developers, and their developers will always need low-level system tools. I do however think that they will continue "dumbing down" the mac as much as they can, and it's going to piss a lot of people off. We may not be headed for "full lock-down", but maybe something close to that. Only time will tell. All I'm saying is it seems to make good business sense, regardless of what we (the original Apple geeks) want. It's a shame.

 

[RobeeSVK]

As others have pointed out, Apple does not market to us, the "power users". The vast majority of their consumer base is as computer illiterate as most of our parents and grandparents. The iPhone and iPad have enjoyed incredible success due to their simplicity and inability to "break", ie. you can't corrupt any files if you don't have access to the filesystem. Following this line of thought, I see no reason why they wouldn't want to apply this same business model to the Mac. If they do it right, not only would they not lose customers, they would probably see a massive boost in market share.

Well, I am not sure. First of all, simplicity is just one of the key factors, I assume you know it. What you said would be completely true if the Mac OS X was a standalone system for any x86 based device. But it is not and there are no signs of planning the opposite. Mac OS X comes with special and above-average priced hardware.

With iDevices flourishing, those "average" customers have discovered an alternate world of smaller and smart devices, capable of features that were previously known in PC world. Plus simplicity as bonus. Many of these customers would eventually move solely to these devices combined with TV probably. Even if not, PC market is well established, if Windows is not up to the task, why not for example Ubuntu in following years? Why to buy Apple, reasonably expensive hardware (do not mistake for overpriced)? The pros of mobile iDevices are clear (although competition is expected to minimize the gap). But why should an average user buy a Mac? Simplicity? To pay the double price to have something with similar capabilities of iPad?

Computer market (educated guess) will start to shrink and become again more professional place, with limited number of customers of course, but probably also with more added value. The question is whether Apple wants its cut. But I doubt that consumers will move to Mac in large numbers for simplicity. Even if they would find themselves in a need of standard computer, they will choose Windows like nowadays. More likely.

Bottom line, I cannot see a reason to fight a battle for average customer on computer market. Either for AC with mobile/simple devices (Apple is doing well) or for prof. users with appropriate hardware (Apple was doing well and we hope it will continue)

 

[lewis82]

And maybe, maybe, someone you know will become a serial killer and murder everyone in your neighborhood.

What's your point?

You're making completely baseless speculation. There is literally no semblance of evidence whatsoever to support your line of thought.

Jobs kept mentionning "iOS" all the time. iOS going "Back to the Mac". I don't think he said it in these works, but it seems he wants to close the gap between OS X and iOS. It's not hard to imagine a closed OS X after that.

Now I know it looks like a conspiracy theory. It's not. I know Lion will still allow apps downloaded from the web and I am confident that 10.8 and all other successive versions will support it. However, I can't predict the future, and neither can you, so we may be surprised.

 

[da-vid]

Jobs kept mentionning "iOS" all the time. iOS going "Back to the Mac". I don't think he said it in these works, but it seems he wants to close the gap between OS X and iOS. It's not hard to imagine a closed OS X after that.

Now I know it looks like a conspiracy theory. It's not. I know Lion will still allow apps downloaded from the web and I am confident that 10.8 and all other successive versions will support it. However, I can't predict the future, and neither can you, so we may be surprised.

How the hell is Apple going to profit from making OS X closed off like the iPhone? No Adobe, Microsoft, or other big companies' software; there goes 90% of your userbase.

Why is being "closed" the only feature of iOS? You do realize that there are other significant differences between iOS and OS X, right? One being the home screen app launcher, which is being introduced to Lion. How does an iPhone-like app launcher make the OS more "closed"? How does having, for example, iPhone-like scrollbars make the OS more "closed"?

Once again: iOS's feature list extends far beyond being "closed."

 

[mrsir2009]

If Apple locked down the Mac in any way, hacks would come out for it instantly, and we'd all use them to break our Mac free again!

 

[tharris0101]

No need to worry unless Apple totally rewrites OS X to not use any open source code. OS X is great because its a UNIX based OS. I think Apple knows that and won't mess with its main strength (a rock solid foundation). As long as its UNIX (especially using FreeBSD and NetBSD code) based, it will remain open.

 

[Matt T]

I really don't see what all the fuss is about - I like the idea of the Mac app store. Apple would be stupid to make it the only way of installing software for OS X, and they're not stupid - this is just a new way for people to discover and purchase new software, just like iTunes let's us discover new music, and the iOS app store let's us discover new apps. This is a good thing.

Take the iWork applications, for example. I'm sorry to say that, as much as I love Pages, I have never purchased it because A$129 is waaay too much to pay just for a word processor, and I will never in my life have a need for Keynote or Numbers - it was too much of a waste. And then even after purchasing it, you would have to wait for the disks to arrive in the mail, unpackage it all and wait for them to install off the disk (slow). It kind of seems silly in 2010. Now with the app store, I can simply purchase Pages by itself (which I am more than happy to do, especially since buying the apps individually appears to be cheaper than buying the set) and it installs in 10 seconds. THAT is the way software should be these days.

My only concern is Apple's strict submission guidelines. It's a shame that applications such as Transmission probably won't be allowed into the store because Apple isn't a big fan of torrents. On the plus side, Transmission will still be available as a download from their web site. As I said before, Apple aren't stupid - they aren't going to cripple their Mac developer base by locking everything down into the Mac app store.

For "safe" apps, this is going to be great exposure to new customers. For other apps, nothing changes. I don't see any problems here at all.

Everyone relax!

 

[8CoreWhore]

It would be illegal for Apple to say, "You can only purchase Mac software through us and not Amazon and Newegg, etc".

They are walking a tight rope doing that with the phone, but won't get away with it for a full blown computer. And they sure as hell would never get away with that in Europe.

People are seeing a "trend" where none exists. Apple is merely adding to OS X, not taking away from it. Stop listening to boobs like Leo LaPorte.

Jobs said nothing that should lead one to believe this silly fear.

 

[ImperialX]

That would put an end to any 3rd party support from developers.. With out 3rd party, there is no applications. With out applications there are no customers.

It just isn't logical to close off a system that has to be open for their whole app infrastructure to thrive.

Really? iOS doesn't seem to lack developers.

 

[goobot]

Really? iOS doesn't seem to lack developers.

Because they make them on a Mac. If they close it where the hell are they gana get any apps? Windows?!

 

[CosmicChild87]

Everyone is speculating massively here - and personaly I'm excited about the possibility of some great new features.

At no point has it been said that apple are going to close down OSX and until they say that they are going to Im more than happy to embrace new features

 

[Bernard SG]

While I agree with you that it apple does provide some good services for the developer, make no mistake, they (Apple) make a tidy profit on the sale. They're not doing this out of altruism, but for the simple fact of creating another revenue stream.

I don't think so. As of today, the iTunes Store - with songs and gazillion downloads of iOS Apps - is reportedly at break-even, and the revenue itself is a tiny portion of Apple's revenue.
They are more looking for long-term indirect benefits. They are seeing, probably with some surprise, that Macs are growing in sales, despite competing with the iPad, to some extent. However, such an unexpected surge might just be a fad if Apple doesn't do something serious to consolidate it and create a long term trend, and the only way to achieve that is by increasing the offer of applications for the Mac, giving the end users more choice and, even better, new interesting things that they can do on their computer.
I predict that there will be a whole bunch of very successful freeware hitting the e-shelves of the Mac App Store. The model of free "Lite" versions and pay full version will flourish as well.
Energizing the Mac Community - developers as well as users - is much, much more important to Apple than making a few more bucks through the App Store model.
Just look at how iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad users enthusiastically share information on the apps they use and, therefore, promote the products by word of mouth and also create curiosity with people who don't own those devices. It's absolutely amazing and magical - to use a Jobs-esque rhetoric-style. Now imagine the same inside the Mac Community at large --> profit with Macs selling like hotcakes.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

I'll need more time, but for now, no!

 

[wkw]

just do whatever steve says! he's the man!

 

[kntgsp]

Maybe I'm being short sighted but I don't agree. The iDevices are locked down mostly due to cell network restrictions. So far Macs don't have built in cell antennas so there is no reason to lock them down. That may happen in the future but Macs and OS X will have to really change before Apple will be able to lock them down like they did with the iDevices.

Hey yea, that's why all those laptops that have been on the market for years and years and years with built-in GSM/CDMA modems are all locked down right?

Or Android. Because all that side-loading is imaginary and it's due to cell network restrictions.


Cell networks have absolutely nothing to do with it. It is about control and revenue. That's it. Stop trying to invent things to make it seem like poor innocent Apple is being strong-armed into locking down their OS.

 

[kntgsp]

How the hell is Apple going to profit from making OS X closed off like the iPhone? No Adobe, Microsoft, or other big companies' software; there goes 90% of your userbase.

That makes absolutely no sense? Apple has to approve all the applications made available to OSX users if they go completely closed. You really think they're not going to approve Office or Creative Suite for the OSX App Store?

Why is being "closed" the only feature of iOS? You do realize that there are other significant differences between iOS and OS X, right? One being the home screen app launcher, which is being introduced to Lion.

Yea because that whole "dock" thing at the bottom with all your programs listed was inefficient. What we need is all of our programs turned into square icons and strewn across the screen like digital cat barf anytime we need to launch a program.

How does an iPhone-like app launcher make the OS more "closed"? How does having, for example, iPhone-like scrollbars make the OS more "closed"?

Once again: iOS's feature list extends far beyond being "closed."

Correct. It extends into restrictive, stifling, oppressive, archaic, etc. etc.

 

[barkmonster]

I'm sure it's no more than an extension of the Widgets we already have in Dashboard but a paid for version with the ability to run the apps full screen and have more complex applications than simple web based news apps etc...

 

[v5point0]

If things really get worse on OS X, I will be dual booting Chrome OS on my machine.

 

[applemagic123]

If things really get worse on OS X, I will be dual booting Chrome OS on my machine.

I already have 2 partitions on my iMac: The biggest for 10.5 leopard and the smallest being 10.6 snow leopard. Snow leopard SUCKS huge donkey chunks. I only use it for torrenting and for more intensive 64 bit stuff.

 

[applemagic123]

You are failing to see..

What you guys are failing to see is that even though the mac app store will not be the only way to install apps, there are STRICT rules as to what the mac app store can and cannot accept. Most people switching over to mac from PC who are not computer savvy do not realize this. They just think, "Oh, how convenient, a mac app store." They don't see the bigger picture. If the mac app store is anything like iOS app store, it will become apparent pretty fast that there are a surge of useless apps made by some random nobody in japan, or a large number of the same app but only with a different name and interface.

There are some really good apps that will not be allowed on the mac app store that all those un-computer savvy people will never know existed. I think that is a real big shame on the part of the developer.

 

[v5point0]

I already have 2 partitions on my iMac: The biggest for 10.5 leopard and the smallest being 10.6 snow leopard. Snow leopard SUCKS huge donkey chunks. I only use it for torrenting and for more intensive 64 bit stuff.

I am happily using 10.5.8 as well, don't really find a need for 10.6. Maybe I will get a new computer when 10.7 releases but somehow I feel Apple has gone lazy after Leopard. I don't want iOS on my desktop

 

[iRovaedne]

Well I think app store will be ok,
cuz it enables u to get a number of apps and u can also develop ur own tools at the same time.

 

[roadbloc]

Man 1: How'd you lose your car man?
Man 2: Well, I let my 10 year old son on my computer when I wasn't home. He went into the App Store and accidentally bought AutoCAD.

Man 1: Oh, so you didn't set up your parental controls?

Is this Mac app store going to make it easier for people to "steal" apps? With traditional software, you have to have a lengthy activation code. Sure, those can be generated for free, but for many apps it's difficult or impossible to find them. And/or a crack has to be developed that is both difficult to find and install for basic users.

Just like iTunes and Steam have made it easier for people to "steal" digital products?