Apple has completely lost the goodwill of Mac developers. The one and only reason the ones that haven't gone bankrupt are still staying is because they have no other choice due to platform lock-in. Every single conversation that I've had with indies recently have gone along the same lines: Apple is killing the indie scene.
I wrote about the MAS exodus [1] more than a year ago and people were skeptical back then. Think again - here's a list of great apps [3] that are only available outside the MAS. Those are not just small time hobbyist apps - those are professional tools.
Pieter (founder of Bohemian, company behind Sketch) listed many problems with the MAS at a recent conference [5]. Wil Shipley (well-known within the community) has also written about it [6].
And now you have another flagship OS X app ditching the MAS due to the multitude problems it creates. The message is loud and clear - if you're a real software business, not a hobbyist at home, don't waste your time with the MAS - it simply does not allow you to run your busienss properly.
When the companies building the flagship apps for the platform publicly state they cannot do business due to the restrictions of the Mac App Store and then abandon the dysfunctional virtual marketplace, then you know Apple have pushed them beyond the edge. No company would just decide to leave the MAS unless the situation is hurting them significantly and holding them back. And unfortunately, there are almost no words to describe how bad the MAS has been for the ecosystem and innovation on the platform. [2]
You also get ridiculous stuff like Intuit because of the limitations [4].
Even if Apple fixes the Mac App Store one day, which is highly unlikely given that in 5 years they have done absolutely nothing, developers have been burned once and will be skeptical. You know, the whole "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me".
When people say that everything is fine and dandy with the MAS, they seem to be misguided - no one is asking Apple to make everyone a millionare. Developers are asking for Apple not to force simplistic business models and allow companies to have the ability to choose what works for them.
I used to be hopeful for years but no more. I have zero faith that Apple will listen to indies and solve their problem, they've got no leverage. And that's a real pity. Instead of pairing high quality hardware with high quality software, we have a platform encouraging predatory tactics and milking of customers. A truly sad situation. And that's a real shame because the platform I love and have invested a decade in deserves better. It might even be too late - the damage to developers has been enormous.
[1] http://blog.helftone.com/mac-app-store-the-subtle-exodus/
[2] http://mjtsai.com/blog/2015/11/12/no-one-minding-the-store/
[3] http://dancounsell.typed.com/articles/not-on-the-mac-app-sto...
[4] http://mjtsai.com/blog/2015/11/24/quicken-2015-switches-from...
[5] https://twitter.com/tmaes/status/657213874970763267
[6] https://twitter.com/wilshipley/status/669321851793879040