TheMac App Storeis the biggest thing to happen to Mac computer software distribution since the Internet itself — some might say that the store is even bigger . Many user have n’t bothered with boxes and CDs of software for some time , alternatively juggle combinations of ZIP file cabinet , Mac disc simulacrum ( DMGs ) , pull - and - drop operations , and installation wiz .

The potential of the Mac App Store to simplify so much of the app ownership procedure is undeniably appetizing for end users . But for software developer , the story is a routine more complex . Macworldtalked to several developer to get their thoughts on the Mac App Store .

In the heavy impression , the developer we spoke with are just as intrigued by the Mac App Store as Mac users . “ The Mac App Store is fantastic , ” Andrew Sinkov , Evernote ’s VP of Marketing , toldMacworld . “ I wish that it brings soft browsing and buying to the multitude , ” pronounce Isaiah Carew , beginner ofYourHead Software . There is an early sense of excitement that Apple is using what it learned from the iOS App Store to bring a brisk Modern round of tending to the set up Mac platform .

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“ It ’s a really helpful increase to the Mac Platform , ” aver Philip Goward , laminitis ofSmile . “ It enables software products to be more discoverable , and more easily purchase and installed by Mac user . ”

The transition

Selling Mac software system in the fresh world with a Mac App Store pose a number of unique challenge . An App Store for the fledgling smartphone market is one thing , but the Mac and its users are no strangers to third - party software . Is Apple ’s new fund too large to ignore ? Is there a mart outside of the Mac App Store , or even completely independent of it ? What about Apple ’s decidedly constricting policies ? These are only some of the large questions developers have been brawl with sinceApple announce the Mac App Storein October last year , and some of these questions will only be answer with clock time .

One of the crowing interrogation is that of monetary value . The App Store created a “ race to the bottom ” for $ 1 iOS apps — will the Mac App Store have the same effect ? The developer we speak with were mostly united in optimism .

“ The Mac App Store does n’t change the value of our apps to our customers , ” said Ken Case , CEO ofThe Omni Group . “ So our prices are exactly the same as they were before . ” Less technically complex iOS apps may do well with buy - bin , volume - friendly prices , but many Mac apps are a different brute , want much more ontogeny time and customer help efforts . “ We have prefer the price tiers [ for the Mac App Store ] that were close to our existing prices for now , ” said Peter Maurer , “ Creative Madman ” atMany Tricks .

To be sure , there are wad of free public-service corporation , single - dish apps , and affordable , casual game already in the store . Examples likeCaffeine , iRingtones , and the inescapableAngry Birdscome to heed .

But other companies known for defecate prosumer apps , such asRealmac Software , have get hold of a different overture . The company madeCourier , a fashionable utility program for share mass medium on social networking services that debuted in August for $ 20 , exclusive to the Mac App Store for a raw , lasting price of $ 5.LittleSnapper , Realmac ’s more powerful “ house decorator ’s scrapbook , ” cut down from $ 40 to a new , non - discounted Leontyne Price of $ 25 . ButRapidWeaver , Realmac ’s popular and sinewy WYSIWYG Web design utility , is on sale for $ 40 correctly now , with an eventual regular price of $ 80 to return at a future date .

Plus , now that Apple denote the store tally theone million downloads milestone in 24 hours , a glance at the chart suggests that paid apps with rich functionality can indeed maintain their billet in the ecosystem . As of this piece of writing , apps likePages($20),RapidWeaver($40 on discount , $ 80 regular price ) , andThings($50 ) are all in the top 10 .

Some established developers are diving head - first into the Mac App Store , includingPixelmatorandSophiestication . you may still download a demonstration of Pixelmator from the company ’s site , but the only way to buy the $ 60 picture editor now is through the Mac App Store . To assist existing client make the passage , the company is offer its app for only $ 30 and promised that Pixelmator 2 will be a complimentary ascent . So far , Saulius Dailide , co - founding father of Pixelmator , toldMacworldthat “ upshot have been striking . ”

Sophiestication , on the other hand , has madeCoverSutra , its menu - streak - based iTunes controller , single to the Mac App Store . The public-service corporation used to deal for $ 15 , but its raw price in the stock is just $ 5 , and you ca n’t even download it from the company ’s   Website any longer .

On pricing and major upgrades

On the other side of the coin , though , Mac App Store pricing is a full stop of contention among developers . For starters , Apple offers no way to transition exist licenses , so you essentially have to re - purchase apps you already own ( yes , even if they appear as “ Installed ” ) if you want Mac App Store convenience like multi - Mac licensing , easy re - downloading , no license keys to keep track of , and sluttish updates — which are another likely problem down the route that I ’ll get to in a minute . The only exception here so far seems to be that the Mac App Store is allow some free apps , such as Bare Bones’sTextWrangler , to update old reading with the new version the company released for the stock ’s possible action . But away from that bound type , Apple offers no official system to transition existing customers , so developers are offer a blind yielding for a modified prison term to all customers ( new and existing ) of said discount prices on fresh licenses , sometimes up to 50 per centum off .

Beyond the initial introduction of the Mac App Store , major upgrade down the route impersonate another trouble in brightness of Apple ’s current policy . Like the iOS App Store , the Mac App Store does not tender developers an light means to level for major upgrades — a traditional practice for the third - party software system industriousness and even Apple itself . While developers have typically charge modest fee for major app updates , Apple has typically sell new version of its software such as Mac OS X , iLife , and Aperture “ as is , ” with no raise discount rate offered if you own the previous version .

One possibility for developers may be to release major acclivity as unexampled apps , as Loren Brichter splendidly did by release Tweetie 2 for iPhone as a entirely disjoined app from the original . But this method acting is untried in the Mac App Store , largely because it ’s only existed publicly for about 36 hours . Plus ,   for some strange reason , the great unwashed seem to be fine with give full price for biz sequels , but not major young variation of general aim apps and utility . Most non - game apps in the App Store besides Tweetie 2 have been released as completely free upgrade to their precursor , even if they were acquired for only $ 1 two geezerhood ago .

“ Once we ’ll be faced with doing a major update on the Mac App Store for the first sentence , ” Maurer explained , “ we might reconsider [ our price structure ] , depending on whether Apple continues to ignore the concept of update pricing . ”

The new Mac sandbox

The Mac App Store ’s doors are open to a broad smorgasbord of practical program , but close to plenty of others . Things like organisation Preferences panes and plugins are categorically disallowed by Apple ’s current insurance policy , while other distinctive developer tricks like kernel elongation , root permissions , and using private genus Apis are red flags for rejection . This means that popular utilities like Growl , audio apps like WireTap Anywhere and Radioshift , just about any backup utility , and plenty of others wo n’t make it onto the Mac App Store ’s shelves unless Apple pass water significant changes to its rules .

Some developers are basically unwelcome in the store because of the nature of their wholly logical apps . “ The stock prohibits well-nigh all of the package we make for multiple understanding , ” Paul Kafasis , CEO ofRogue Amoeba , toldMacworld . “ So for the second , we ’re expect to see how things go . ”

Paul Kim of Noodlesoft , Almighty of Hazel , is in a alike situation andposted some thoughtsfor customer in his company ’s forums . This is a reality for many developers which , of course , begs the topic of living after — and in particular : completely forth from — the Mac App Store .

“ I conceive that , over time , the only Mac apps that wo n’t be sold via the Mac App Store will be unity that are n’t approved by Apple , ” said Nik Fletcher , Realmac Software ’s Head of Support and QA . Goward , Carew , and other developers concurred , all carry similar sentiments that the Mac App Store will inevitably be a meaning source of apps for most users , but not theonlyApple - approved seed like the iOS App Store is for the iPhone , iPod speck , and iPad .

Duality

rig aside the problems and interrogation that have become integral to any discussion these sidereal day involving the words “ Apple , ” “ App , ” and “ Store , ” the developersMacworldspoke with are welcoming the Mac App Store to the market , at least from a user position . It is patently raising the awareness for apps on the Mac , and the mart will undoubtedly get even more care once the store add up pre - establish inMac OS X 10.7 Lionand on all new Macs .

Some developers will commit entirely to the App Store way of life of doing things like Pixelmator and Sophiestication have . However , “ I think there ’s still a position for direct relationships between vendors and customers when citizenry want more flexible terms and choice , ” Case explained . The overall sentiment seems to be that the developer whocanuse the App Store as a new statistical distribution channel , will . But also sell apps outside the store allows developers to offer client things like app bundles , volume pricing that Apple so far does n’t want to deal with , and other advantages that we ’ve delight throughout pre - App - Storic story .

For now , though , Peter Maurer see optic - opening potential , as the sun rises for the Mac App Store over the next few months , perhaps even geezerhood . “ A lot of masses probably did n’t even realize there was a huge Mac software market before this . ”