Tips for Mac App Store Devs: No Trials or Betas, File System and Custom Control Usage

[MacRumors]

Apple yesterday published a series of three updates for Mac App Store developers to its news and announcements page, offering several tips for those preparing their applications for submission to the forthcoming store.

The most important update for general users addresses demo, trial, and beta versions of software intended for distribution through the Mac App Store. Apple notes that developers should not submit these versions for inclusion in the Mac App Store and should instead distribute them through their own sites while limiting Mac App Store distribution to full retail versions of their applications.

Your website is the best place to provide demos, trial versions, or betas of your software for customers to explore. The apps you submit to be reviewed for the Mac App Store should be fully functional, retail versions of your apps.

Apple's other two updates point to sections of Apple's developer-only documentation, reminding those working on applications where to find resources for developing custom interface control elements that comply with Apple's interface guidelines and to make sure that they are properly utilizing the Mac OS X file system to store files related to their applications in appropriate locations on users' computers.

Apple announced at its October 20th media event that the Mac App Store would debut for users of Mac OS X Snow Leopard within 90 days, meaning that a launch would be expected to occur by mid-January.

The company began accepting submissions for the Mac App Store one month ago and appears to be preparing Mac OS X 10.6.6 to support the store.

Article Link: Tips for Mac App Store Developers: No Trials or Betas, File System and Custom Control Usage

 

[angelneo]

It's too odd, if users have to go to the developers' site for trial, they might just as well download the full version from the developers' end as well. Why bother to let Apple get the 30% cut?

 

[bbplayer5]

Good move. The apps you get in the store should not be betas... However, the app store needs to be like android (iPhone store). 24 hours to get a full refund.

Plus, why would you want your app on the store? Just do a good job advertising it. It will get lose in the thousands of apps on the store anyway. Then you dont have to give Apple a 30% cut.

 

[Winni]

And more restrictions imposed by Apple. But especially this one is funny: "[custom controls] that comply with Apple's interface guidelines". Well, not even Apple's own software complies with Apple's own interface guidelines. Requiring Third Parties to comply with those guidelines is almost cynical.

This whole AppStore concept stinks. I hope that it fails, because if it succeeds, they will take it as an opportunity to completely lock down Mac OS X, too. Nobody should purchase software from the Mac AppStore.

 

[johnnymg]

And more restrictions imposed by Apple. But especially this one is funny: "[custom controls] that comply with Apple's interface guidelines". Well, not even Apple's own software complies with Apple's own interface guidelines. Requiring Third Parties to comply with those guidelines is almost cynical.

This whole AppStore concept stinks. I hope that it fails, because if it succeeds, they will take it as an opportunity to completely lock down Mac OS X, too. Nobody should purchase software from the Mac AppStore.

Isn't OSX already locked down?

 

[314631]

This is great news for consumers. I fully support what Apple is doing to bring great, fully functional Mac software to the masses. Those who are tech savvy enough will simply go to the company website to download trial versions. There is no need to clutter the world's premier online software store with buggy betas and trial software.

 

[Stella]

I understand the 'no demos no betas' part.

I'm beginning to wonder about how useful the App Store will be - there are so many limitations of what you can / cannot, you'd be better off going to MacUpdate.com or elsewhere to get your wares, like at present.

Also I'm thinking this is a backdoor / psudo way of locking down OSX. Will be implied rather than explicit ( only if the MacAppStore is used so much that macUpdate.com becomes unused). So it comes a case of: If you don't submit your app to macAppStore, its just not going to sell because mac users won't bother ( read: too lazy ) to look elsewhere.

 

[WiiDSmoker]

Isn't OSX already locked down?

That lock can keep on getting tighter

 

[Warbrain]

And more restrictions imposed by Apple. But especially this one is funny: "[custom controls] that comply with Apple's interface guidelines". Well, not even Apple's own software complies with Apple's own interface guidelines. Requiring Third Parties to comply with those guidelines is almost cynical.

This whole AppStore concept stinks. I hope that it fails, because if it succeeds, they will take it as an opportunity to completely lock down Mac OS X, too. Nobody should purchase software from the Mac AppStore.

Funny, heard this back when they announced it. Keep on rehashing the complaints.

 

[Sabenth]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

Well that's an odd move on apples part can't see this store taking off

 

[Stella]

This is great news for consumers. I fully support what Apple is doing to bring great, fully functional Mac software to the masses. Those who are tech savvy enough will simply go to the company website to download trial versions. There is no need to clutter the world's premier online software store with buggy betas and trial software.

Trial software is useful and can be a draw to potential customers. I'd rather try and THEN pay for software rather than paying and finding out it doesn't meet my needs.

 

[commander.data]

My bigger concern is ability to have upgrade pricing.

 

[WiiDSmoker]

Funny, heard this back when they announced it. Keep on rehashing the complaints.

Well these complaints are going to keep happening until Apple practices what they preach.

 

[neilw]

Apple need to do a better job (in general) facilitating the trialing of software. Sending the user to the developer's site for the free demo is just punting the issue, and polluting the simplicity of using App Store in the first place.

This seems to be an area where the iOS app store lags as well.

 

[rwilliams]

If I can only get trials and beta software from the developer's site, then I have no incentive to buy the retail version from the Mac App Store. I'll just get it from the developer's site as well.

 

[hayesk]

It's too odd, if users have to go to the developers' site for trial, they might just as well download the full version from the developers' end as well. Why bother to let Apple get the 30% cut?

Small developers don't want to run their own payment system with all the fees, dealing with billing mistakes, chargebacks, etc. that come with it.

But if you do run your own payment system, then by all means, do so.

 

[Mal]

Isn't OSX already locked down?

Care to explain to us how it's "locked down"? The only restriction on OS X is that it can only be installed on Apple computers. There are no "locks" regarding what can be installed in OS X, nor will there ever be.

jW

 

[hayesk]

Plus, why would you want your app on the store? Just do a good job advertising it. It will get lose in the thousands of apps on the store anyway. Then you dont have to give Apple a 30% cut.

Oh, is that all we have to do? Just advertise it. That's so simple! Why didn't all us small developers think of that before?!? I'm glad you came along with the revolutionary new idea!

Seriously, advertising is expensive. Especially if you have a niche, vertical market app. It's hard to target the right customer without spending a lot of money. Small developers often spend far more on 30% per copy to advertise.

The App Store brings eyes to your product. It's like being in a retail store. People come and browse and find your app. Nobody is going to come across your web site by browsing.

 

[Kenndac]

But especially this one is funny: "[custom controls] that comply with Apple's interface guidelines". Well, not even Apple's own software complies with Apple's own interface guidelines. Requiring Third Parties to comply with those guidelines is almost cynical.

Hahaha yeah! It's almost like Apple gets special treatment when writing applications for the App Stores. It'd be even worse if Apple apps were allowed to use private APIs and everyone else's weren't.

OH WAIT…

 

[Sky Blue]

That lock can keep on getting tighter

how so?

 

[HLdan]

And more restrictions imposed by Apple. But especially this one is funny: "[custom controls] that comply with Apple's interface guidelines". Well, not even Apple's own software complies with Apple's own interface guidelines. Requiring Third Parties to comply with those guidelines is almost cynical.

This whole AppStore concept stinks. I hope that it fails, because if it succeeds, they will take it as an opportunity to completely lock down Mac OS X, too. Nobody should purchase software from the Mac AppStore.

Ridiculous post, just ridiculous. Why don't you just get rid of your iMac because you're definitely not the kind of customer Apple or the Mac community needs. How would you like it if someone said they hope you fail in life?

 

[fabianjj]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; sv-se) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

The fact that you don't need to register your credit card information one more time? You might not realize, but that goes a long way with a majority of consumers

 

[shartypants]

I thought this App Store concept was the way of the future, shouldn't it include ways to try out software? Seems to be a pain for developers to have to separately distribute their trial versions, hmm...

 

[MCIowaRulz]

And more restrictions imposed by Apple. But especially this one is funny: "[custom controls] that comply with Apple's interface guidelines". Well, not even Apple's own software complies with Apple's own interface guidelines. Requiring Third Parties to comply with those guidelines is almost cynical.

This whole AppStore concept stinks. I hope that it fails, because if it succeeds, they will take it as an opportunity to completely lock down Mac OS X, too. Nobody should purchase software from the Mac AppStore.

+1 Exactly I hate the way iTunes 10 looks

and your second part I don't like that it needs to and will succeed especially as connections get faster
and, I don't have CD's laying around my room eventually just the OS CD's

 

[Soliber]

Let's not overlook the fact that the ease of installing and uninstalling apps through the Mac app store will be really nice.
And the fact that Apple keeps track of what you have bought, so no more archiving licenses/keys for your software.