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Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X

engadget.com

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Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X

#51

Post by tvon »

tlrobinson wrote: post #35
danilocampos wrote: post #21

This is very exciting. The problem of distribution and monetization for desktop software is significant and largely unsolved. Steam is already proof that a digital store can make desktop users really happy, but it addresses gamers, who are cheerful early adopters. Most other people who don't game only know this model through their mobile device, but now they're ready for more. As for developers? For more than half of…

I'm not so excited about this. Am I the only one who thinks this is Apple's first step in exerting more control over developers and users on the OS X platform like they do on iOS? EDIT: to all the replies about how you still have a choice of distribution on OS X: yes, you do right now, but who knows how long that will last? As I said, this might be the first step in locking down the platform. I don't believe this wil…

If they did that, Linux would get a massive influx of anal-retentive developers that know how to design nice apps...

Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X

#52

Post by jcromartie »

siddhant wrote: post #43
jcromartie wrote: post #28

There has been something like this for indie devs for a while. http://appbodega.com/

I'm wondering what happens to AppBodega, now that Apple released an App Store for Mac (which I assume would be very tightly integrated with the OS).

AppBodega can continue along just the same. I think they serve very different purposes and markets, even though they are similar ideas. AppBodega is lots of indie/FOSS apps. It's more like MacPorts for applications, with purchasing.

Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X

#53

Post by wallflower »

I believe this will shift the marketplace to apps that consumers actually want - not the DTerms of the world. Little swiss-army type apps with consumer friendly interfaces. Stuff like a drag-and-drop photos to upload them to the cloud so they show up on grandma's digital photo frame.

Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X

#54

Post by dunk010 »

jonhendry wrote: post #23
mkramlich wrote: post #10

the big question is whether the App Store will become the only allowed way to get software onto a Mac. Anybody heard anything? If they disallow all the historical ways I suspect there will be an exodus of disgrunted developers, many going to Linux.

Can't see Matlab or AutoCad or Adobe CS5 being sold through the App Store, and I'm sure Apple knows that. There's also lots of research apps and such. Jobs mentioned that the store would be one way of getting apps.

I'm pretty sure that apple will be offering big players a better revshare deal on account of their volume. I'm sure their respective legal departments will have their hands full in the coming months. I think what is more interesting is what will happen to new apps built on the app store which subsequently become big; apple will have no incentive to split the revenue more favourably when they already have lock-in.

Regardless, I'm a fan.

Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X

#55

Post by jcromartie »

tertius wrote: post #39
Poiesis wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

During the keynote, it was mentioned that this was an additional way to distribute apps, not the only way.

It's like boiling a toad. Lets hope it doesn't go that way.

I don't think it will go that way. It would be suicide.

Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X

#56

Post by qeorge »

al_james wrote: post #5

Its about time this happened really. Its an obvious idea, and could potentially be a great user experience. I bet Microsoft have their own within a year.

Incidentally, an App Store is planned for Windows 8:

http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2010/06/leaked-windows...

I'm still skeptical that MS can ship an app store with Windows and not run afoul of anti-trust laws. We shall see.

Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X

#57

Post by twitter_v2 »

mkramlich wrote: post #10

the big question is whether the App Store will become the only allowed way to get software onto a Mac. Anybody heard anything? If they disallow all the historical ways I suspect there will be an exodus of disgrunted developers, many going to Linux.

Not sure they would do that, I think this Mac App store is purely a tool to create a vertical revenue stream to sell to the vast existing iMac user base. I also think this will increase the amount of business applications 20 fold and possibly propel the MacBook into many businesses as IT dept's could use the App Store to add software to these Mac's and restrict any other content from workers. Far Less IT support required plus Apps would cost less than Microsoft software etc.

Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X

#58

Post by mirkules »

Does anyone know if you have an app in the OS X app store, but you also want to distribute on your own, if this is allowed under the terms? Or, is it pretty much once you go into the app store there is no coming out of it?

From Apple's business perspective, it would make sense to lock you in -- they probably don't want to foot the bill to advertise for you and then you go sell your software on the side full price without Apple getting their cut.

From developers' perspective, this would severely limit distribution channels, and force them to give up 30% of revenue.

In theory, a developer could release the "lite" version of his app, and link to his own distribution mechanism within that app. Is this allowed?

Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X

#59

Post by phamilton »

mdemare wrote: post #37

I've found myself designing apps for iOS that should really be Mac apps, simply because of the commercial convenience of the app store. My hope is that this will lead to a renaissance of development for the desktop.

I've been doing the exact same thing. I could easily build a web version of the app, but monetizing it is so much easier through the app store.

Re: Apple brings App Store to Mac OS X

#60

Post by [deleted] »

daniel-cussen wrote: post #41
tlrobinson wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not so excited about this. Am I the only one who thinks this is Apple's first step in exerting more control over developers and users on the OS X platform like they do on iOS? EDIT: to all the replies about how you still have a choice of distribution on OS X: yes, you do right now, but who knows how long that will last? As I said, this might be the first step in locking down the platform. I don't believe this wil…

I think they can still sell the normal way.

[deleted]
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