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Mac App Store Very Promising But With Restrictions

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Apr 12, 2001
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The most surprising news coming out of today's media event was the revelation that Apple would be launching a Mac App Store for Mac OS X. From the short preview that was given, the Mac App Store appears to be structured similarly to the popular iOS App Store. App sales and upgrades are all managed through the App Store, itself. Like the iOS App Store, Apple splits revenues with the developers in the same 70/30 ratio.

Given the massive success of the iOS App Store, Mac developers are understandably interested, but may run into hurdles with Apple's approval process. Andrew Welch of AmbrosiaSW told Informationweek that many of his company's existing apps would not be allowed in:
"Ambrosia is certainly interested in the idea of a centralized Mac application store," he said in an e-mail. "However the restrictions imposed by Apple on the applications may make it impossible for a number of our applications to be submitted."
Click to expand...
Presumably, these apps would include their system utilities such as WireTap, Snapz Pro X and Soundboard.

We've heard that Mac App Store Apps are restricted from installing kernel extensions (kexts) that are frequently used to provide system level functions in these utilities. Apps, as well, must be self contained and avoid use of undocumented APIs.

Developers, of course, aren't required to distribute Mac apps through Apple's App Store. Developers can still distribute their software on their own, but the centralized access and publicity of the App Store model has been well proven on iOS. The Mac App Store also raises additional questions whether or not the so-called "race to the bottom" in prices will be duplicated on the Mac software side as well, and whether or not it will encourage simpler, more casual apps.

Article Link: Mac App Store Very Promising But With Restrictions
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/10/20/mac-app-store-very-promising-but-with-restrictions/
Describing kexts as "frequently used" is a bit misleading. Only a very very small subset of apps need kexts, and those should be treated with care; any kext can cause a kernel panic.
 
Wonder if a company could place an app in there that doesn't use kexts, but have an internal ad that points to their website for apps that do?
 
This is a big deal because Grandma and Joe iPhone user who are new to the Mac, now have a place to find apps just like they are used to doing with their phone.

Most MacRumors users can still download their power user apps from wherever they want to. Now, there is another easy option for users.
 
Sounds like a nice place to find apps for the Mac. It should help many smaller Mac app developers get their apps noticed (and bought) by more users.
 
If it uses iTunes(apple) id this can be very good. Many don't want to use credit cards or don't have one. Now they can go buy an iTunes card and use that to buy software. Aslo they can feel safer using a credit card since apple is trustworthy.
 
Terrible Move

This is a very bad development indeed. This smells of the thin edge of the wedge of a closed ecosystem. I don't like this one bit. Hopefully Apple will not try to exercise more control down the road of non-appstore apps. Personally if I were a developer I'd be very very worried by these developments.
 
Catfish_Man said:
Describing kexts as "frequently used" is a bit misleading. Only a very very small subset of apps need kexts, and those should be treated with care; any kext can cause a kernel panic.
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"frequently used to provide system level functions in these utilities"

similarly

"tasers are frequently used by police to stun belligerent suspects".

doesn't mean all police use tasers frequently.

arn
 
Seems fantastic for indie developers; devs with established methods of delivery, like Adobe, will probably not want the 70/30 split.

Biggest question I see: will Apple provide iAds for Mac OS X? Giving Mac apps an app store and iAds would foster huge growth in low-cost or free applications.


I actually want to see an Air Video client port, as an aside.

I wonder, though, if non-App-store apps will be able to place icons in the launcher. :/ It would be a disadvantage if, say, Steam apps could not.
 
Superdrive said:
This is a big deal because Grandma and Joe iPhone user who are new to the Mac, now have a place to find apps just like they are used to doing with their phone.

Most MacRumors users can still download their power user apps from wherever they want to. Now, there is another easy option for users.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Also the LaunchPad thing looks slower than using Spotlight. 10.7 seems to add some Mac for Dummies features.
 
Superdrive said:
...Most MacRumors users can still download their power user apps from wherever they want to. Now, there is another easy option for users.
Click to expand...

As long as that option remains in future versions of mac os, an app store sounds great for the less tech inclined...
 
adamw said:
Sounds like a nice place to find apps for the Mac. It should help many smaller Mac app developers get their apps noticed (and bought) by more users.
Click to expand...

THIS. I can see alot of small developers getting exposure without having to work with a publisher.
 
philosopherdog said:
This is a very bad development indeed. This smells of the thin edge of the wedge of a closed ecosystem. I don't like this one bit. Hopefully Apple will not try to exercise more control down the road of non-appstore apps. Personally if I were a developer I'd be very very worried by these developments.
Click to expand...

Get that tin foil hat ready.
 
I'm just wondering what Apple will invent next, now that they've invented full screen mode and a package manager. ;)
 
This should be interesting. I don't worry about a race to the bottom on pricing. Apps will charge what they are worth. Let the market determine price. That is part of the genius of the app store. You price too high and your app doesn't sell.
 
No PathFinder, FruitMenu, Window X, or iStat Menus allowed...pretty much all the OS X utilities I use.
 
I'm glad that they are offering this, it will be a good way to find mac apps. even if they don't all get approved there are other ways to install them.
 
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