The Mac App Store

Scribbled by Lethal Illness @ 4:28 PM on January 6th, 2011.

Today is the official start of CES 2011 and we’ve already seen hemp headphones, over-powered monstrous tablets, and a mouse Microsoft jacked straight from Apple amongst many other cool and interesting products. What was not announced or introduced at the CES was the addition of the Mac App Store, a store filled with Macintosh apps similar to the iTunes App store for iOS apps. The rumors proved true that Apple would be launching the Mac App Store today when they let loose the OS X 10.6.6 update this morning. I believe they choose the official start date of CES to steal the spotlight and they have my attention – but will they hold it?

Mac App Store

Appearance & Accessibility

After I updated my OS X to 10.6.6 and restarted there was a pretty familiar ugly looking icon in the second spot. This ugly icon that matched the iTunes icon was the Mac App Store. A simple click to this new ugly icon launches me into another familiar world – the Mac App Store.

Mac App Store Frontpage and Icon

The format is a cross between the iTunes App Store on Mac and the App Store on the iPad. It might be a slightly different look but it still has the same aspects I like and dislike about this format. While it’s certainly not hard to navigate through the store its a pain to find more then the featured and top apps unless you know their names. As far as navigating its pretty simple – you just click an app and if you like it click install. If you used an iPod Touch, iPhone, or iPad it’s impossible for you to not know how to use it.

- Rated Neutral

App Selection & Description

While this is only the first day of the Mac App Store there is plenty of apps to choose from for now. Something that really excites me is the new programs (apps) and some I’ve never heard of. Twitter for Mac (Tweetie 2), Angry Birds (Desktop), and SoundCloud were the first three new apps that immediately caught my eye.

If I click an app that catches my eye, like SoundCloud, another very familiar description page comes up. This description page has well the description in addition to screenshots and reviews. This format of the description page has been working and I don’t see any reason for change – though I wish developers were mandated to write better descriptions sometimes.

Mac App Store Description Page and Login to Install

While 1000 apps seems like a lot, it really isn’t being that there are probably hundreds of thousands of apps out there. The quality of apps isn’t bad but there are a lot that aren’t really necessary (I’ll elaborate more in my predicitons). I advise you to update immediately to 10.6.6 to catch a lot of launch sales like Apple’s Aperture is $80 (down from $199).

- Rated Dope

Buying, Installing, & Apple ID Integration

After you’ve read a fancy or not-so-fancy description and seen some pleasing screenshots and are convinced this app is for you, you can click the install/buy button at the top left of the page. After clicking that button you will be asked to enter in your Apple ID. Yes, the same Apple ID you use for Apple’s store, App Store, iTunes, and now the Mac App Store. After that you will neatly see the app jump off the page into your dock and you will see it faded out loading/installing with a bar below it like it does on iOS.

Installing SoundCloud App from the Mac App Store

I think the best part about using you Apple ID is that just like you can use iTunes cards for the App Store (at least in the US), you can use them in the Mac App Store! Good thing I’ve saved all those iTunes cards that I can now use on Mac Apps in addition to the few iOS apps I need.

- Rated Dope

Uninstalling

One thing I find odd is that they haven’t included a way to uninstall from the Mac App Store. Why? I guess you have to ask Steve Jobs that one. However there is no need to worry because you can still uninstall apps the same way, even the new ones.

- Rated Nope

Updates

While I didn’t have updates that needed to be installed to any of my apps, I did notice the nice updates page which is in the bar up top similar to the App Store on the iPad. This seems like an excellent idea being that I no longer need to rely on the app itself to connect to a server to tell me if its ready to be updated.

- Rated Dope

Predictions

First off let me continue with a point I made above; unnecessary apps. These unnecessary apps are kind of like apps for iOS that make iOS easier. Apps like Twitter, Engadget, etc on iOS condense the content into a smaller format so it is easier to read on iOS. I don’t understand the point of some of these apps on the Mac. While I can see Twitter for Mac being reasonable because that it is for instant notification of tweets and tweeting instantly. But what is the reason for apps similar to Mashable for Mac? Don’t get me wrong Mashable is a great site and I read it more than frequently but what the hell is the point of something I can type in my browser and see in full effect? If I wanted instant reading I can just use an RSS client like Reeder and get ALL my content instantly. And it’s not like its for slower Macs that can’t handle the site being that you need the latest version of OS X to run the Mac App Store. This leads me to the prediction of an overload of unnecessary apps.

The next prediction I have could be wrong but seems likely. Apple vs. Adobe – round 2. I have a feeling Adobe will probably want Flash somehow included into the Mac App Store and they will have a dispute about it not being accepted. This seems likely as Apple deems Flash unnecessary because of HTML 5.

Which actually leads into the next unfortunate prediction; Apple’s keeping the competition at bay. With the Mac App Store people are likely too look for an app through there before they go out and look for it elsewhere. Being that Apple must approve apps that appear in the Mac App Store this seems like an easy way to reject the competition to certain apps like lets say Logic, Pages, Numbers, Keynotes, Aperture, all of which have strong competitors. In fact they basically already given warning to that;

Mac App Store Guideline 6.2 – Apps that look similar to Apple Products or apps bundled on the Mac, including the Finder, iChat, iTunes, and Dashboard, will be rejected.

Who is to say what app is too similar to Apple apps? iChat and Adium? Facetime, Google Voice, and Skype? Logic and Pro Tools?

Finally my last prediction is new developers will breakthrough and make Apple richer. This one is kind of a win-win. I think the same format that hinders newer apps too succeed can make the few new ones that Apple puts to the front page succeed more. Thus making new developers win, Apple win, and us win with a good product.

Most of my predictions aren’t in the best interest for Apple nor us and I do hope some of them are wrong. I hope to see developers and their software become more noticed and more bought. I hope this can cut a little down on piracy being that there is no excuse not to buy that indie developers program for 3 bucks. Good luck Mac App Store!