Mac App Store
Encyclopedia
The Mac App Store is a digital distribution
platform for Mac OS X
applications developed by Apple Inc.. The platform was announced on October 20, 2010 at Apple's "Back to the Mac
" event. Apple began accepting app submissions from registered developers on November 3, 2010 in preparation for its launch. It was released on January 6, 2011 as part of the free Mac OS X v10.6.6 update for all current Snow Leopard users. After 24 hours of release, Apple announced that there was a total of more than one million downloads.
, which was the first release of Mac OS X not sold in the boxes of DVDs which had been traditionally used to distribute the operating system at the Apple Store. This method limited the reach of distribution of the operating system to those who currently use Mac OS X 10.6.6+, although other means offered by Apple after the release included a USB flash drive containing the operating system (due in August) and a digital in-store download of the operating system through Apple Store locations.
This has also affected Apple's prior means of distribution through its own website, with the Downloads gallery being removed in July 2011 and replaced with links to the Mac App Store information page. However, it has not affected the Dashboard widget gallery, nor has it affected the Safari Extensions gallery, both of which remain online and web-based. The Apple Support Download section also remains online, as it provides mostly security updates for current and older software applications and operating system, many dating back to before 1998.
placed its game, Lugaru
, on the Mac App store, as Lugaru HD for $9.99, the developer noticed a counterfeit copy of their game also being sold on the App Store for $0.99 USD. The developer contacted Apple on January 31, 2011, and on February 10, 2011, the counterfeit copy of the game was removed from the App Store. A number of news sites have remarked that for all the scrutiny Apple places on apps listed in their store, a counterfeit copy of an existing app should not have made it through the process, and the days it had been since the developer had alerted Apple to the counterfeit software is disconcerting to developers.
, iLife '11, Aperture and third-party applications ported from iOS, such as Angry Birds
, Flight Control
, Gravilux, and Twitter
. Most of the apps belonged to the Games category, which had nearly three times as many apps in the next largest category, Utilities. The most common price point was $20–50. Angry Birds
, a popular video game on the iOS App Store, was the number one paid app on the Mac App Store on the first day.
Digital distribution
Online distribution, digital distribution, or electronic software distribution is the practice of delivering content without the use of physical media, typically by downloading via the internet directly to a consumer's device. Online distribution bypasses conventional physical distribution media,...
platform for Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
applications developed by Apple Inc.. The platform was announced on October 20, 2010 at Apple's "Back to the Mac
Stevenote
"Stevenote" is a colloquial term for the keynote speeches given by former Apple CEO Steve Jobs at events such as the Worldwide Developers Conference and previously the Macworld and Apple Expos. Jobs' vibrant speaking style and manner of exciting the crowd was often referred to as inducing a...
" event. Apple began accepting app submissions from registered developers on November 3, 2010 in preparation for its launch. It was released on January 6, 2011 as part of the free Mac OS X v10.6.6 update for all current Snow Leopard users. After 24 hours of release, Apple announced that there was a total of more than one million downloads.
Guidelines
Similar to the iOS App Store, the Mac App Store is regulated by Apple. Applications must be approved by Apple before becoming available on the store. Disallowed types of applications revealed by Apple include:- Software that changes the native user interface elements or behaviors of Mac OS X.
- Software that does not comply with the Apple Macintosh Human Interface GuidelinesHuman Interface GuidelinesHuman interface guidelines are software development documents which offer application developers a set of recommendations. Their aim is to improve the experience for the users by making application interfaces more intuitive, learnable, and consistent. Most guides limit themselves to defining a...
. - Software that is similar in look or function to current Apple products (e.g. Mac App Store, Finder, iTunesITunesiTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
, iChatIChatiChat is an instant messaging software application developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its Mac OS X operating system. It has audio, video and screen-sharing capabilities as well as text messaging...
, etc.). - Software similar to other software that is already released in the Mac App Store. Examples given: Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw, Photoshop Lightroom & Apple Aperture, Cinema 4D and 3D Max, etc.
- Software that contains or displays pornographic material.
- Software that is or installs shared components (kernel extensions, browser plugins, QuickTimeQuickTimeQuickTime is an extensible proprietary multimedia framework developed by Apple Inc., capable of handling various formats of digital video, picture, sound, panoramic images, and interactivity. The classic version of QuickTime is available for Windows XP and later, as well as Mac OS X Leopard and...
components, etc.). - Software that provides content or services that expire.
- Software that does not run on the currently shipping version of Mac OS.
- Beta, demo, trial, or test versions of software.
- Software that references trademarkTrademarkA trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
s unless the developer has explicit permission to use them - Software licensed only under the GPLGNU General Public LicenseThe GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project....
(because the App Store Terms of Service impose additional restrictions incompatible with the GPL) - Apps that use deprecated or optionally installed technologies. Examples given:
- JavaJava (programming language)Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
- PowerPCPowerPCPowerPC is a RISC architecture created by the 1991 Apple–IBM–Motorola alliance, known as AIM...
code requiring RosettaRosetta (software)Rosetta was a lightweight and dynamic binary translator for Mac OS X which Apple released in 2006 when it transitioned the Macintosh from PowerPC to Intel processors. It allowed pre-existing software to run on the new systems without modification....
- Java
Usage by Apple
Since the opening of the Mac App Store, Apple Inc. has increasingly used it as the primary means of distribution of its own in-house software products at the expense of Apple-branded software applications being sold at Apple Store locations. This position was perceivably increased with the July 2011 release of Mac OS X LionMac OS X Lion
Mac OS X Lion is the eighth and current major release of Mac OS X, Apple's desktop and server operating system for Macintosh computers....
, which was the first release of Mac OS X not sold in the boxes of DVDs which had been traditionally used to distribute the operating system at the Apple Store. This method limited the reach of distribution of the operating system to those who currently use Mac OS X 10.6.6+, although other means offered by Apple after the release included a USB flash drive containing the operating system (due in August) and a digital in-store download of the operating system through Apple Store locations.
This has also affected Apple's prior means of distribution through its own website, with the Downloads gallery being removed in July 2011 and replaced with links to the Mac App Store information page. However, it has not affected the Dashboard widget gallery, nor has it affected the Safari Extensions gallery, both of which remain online and web-based. The Apple Support Download section also remains online, as it provides mostly security updates for current and older software applications and operating system, many dating back to before 1998.
Counterfeit Apps
Not long after independent game developer Wolfire GamesWolfire Games
Wolfire Games is an independent video game development company founded by David Rosen. Wolfire Games develops video games for Mac OS, Windows, and Linux.- History :...
placed its game, Lugaru
Lugaru
Lugaru: The Rabbit's Foot is the first commercial video game created by Wolfire Games. It is a cross-platform, 3D action game for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and GNU/Linux. It features Turner, an anthropomorphic rabbit with curiously well-developed combat skills.Lugaru was made almost solely by...
, on the Mac App store, as Lugaru HD for $9.99, the developer noticed a counterfeit copy of their game also being sold on the App Store for $0.99 USD. The developer contacted Apple on January 31, 2011, and on February 10, 2011, the counterfeit copy of the game was removed from the App Store. A number of news sites have remarked that for all the scrutiny Apple places on apps listed in their store, a counterfeit copy of an existing app should not have made it through the process, and the days it had been since the developer had alerted Apple to the counterfeit software is disconcerting to developers.
Reception
The Mac App Store launched with over 1000 programs on January 6, 2011, including Apple's own iWork '09IWork
iWork is an office suite of desktop applications created by Apple for the Mac OS X and iOS operating systems. The first version of iWork, iWork '05, was released in 2005. The suite originally bundled Keynote, a presentation program which had previously been sold as a standalone application, and...
, iLife '11, Aperture and third-party applications ported from iOS, such as Angry Birds
Angry Birds
Angry Birds is a puzzle video game developed by Finnish computer game developer Rovio Mobile. Inspired primarily by a sketch of stylized wingless birds, the game was first released for Apple's iOS in December 2009...
, Flight Control
Flight Control (video game)
Flight Control is a game for the iOS, WiiWare, DSiWare, Android and Windows Phone 7 developed by Firemint and first released for iOS on March 5, 2009. The app was a number one bestseller on the App Store in 19 countries simultaneously on April 6, 2009 and has sold over two million copies...
, Gravilux, and Twitter
Tweetie
Twitter is a client for Twitter, the social networking website. There is a mobile version that runs on iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, and a desktop version runs on Mac OS X Leopard and Snow Leopard ....
. Most of the apps belonged to the Games category, which had nearly three times as many apps in the next largest category, Utilities. The most common price point was $20–50. Angry Birds
Angry Birds
Angry Birds is a puzzle video game developed by Finnish computer game developer Rovio Mobile. Inspired primarily by a sketch of stylized wingless birds, the game was first released for Apple's iOS in December 2009...
, a popular video game on the iOS App Store, was the number one paid app on the Mac App Store on the first day.