First look: Apple's Mac App Store simplifies buying, updating software
Apple's new Mac App Store will be instantly familiar to anyone who has used an iOS device, bringing the same look, feel, features and convenience to Mac OS X Snow Leopard.
The Mac App Store was released Thursday morning as a part of the Mac OS X 10.6.6 update for Snow Leopard. Upon applying the update and restarting their Mac, users will find the App Store icon in their dock.
The storefront looks and feels just like its iOS counterparts, with a "Featured" section that greets users when it is first launched. From here, a variety of software options in multiple categories are highlighted by Apple.
The Mac App Store will be instantly familiar to iOS users, with essentially the same layout, including lists available for the top paid, free and grossing applications. The same sections are presented with identical icons, like "Featured," "Top Charts" and "Updates," with one new option: "Purchases." And software is available in the same categories, including "Business," "Games," and "Music."
The App Store serves as a place not only to find new software, but also to manage applications and be notified of updates. Some of Apple's own applications, like the iLife '11 suite, were immediately identified as already installed by the Mac App Store. But on at least one machine, the Work '09 suite of Pages, Numbers and Keynote displayed the option to buy for $19.99 each, even though they were already on the system.
Also, strangely, Apple has highlighted its iWork suite in the Mac App Store, calling it "new," even though the only version available is iWork '09. Last November, AppleInsider reported that Apple has apparently completed development of iWork '11, but the company chose to hold off on releasing it until the Mac App Store opened for business.
In addition, free third-party applications already installed from outside the new App Store are not recognized, but they can be reinstalled with the new storefront. Rather than leaving users two copies of the free software on their Mac, the App Store installation process simply reinstalls the application, but gives it the benefits of the App Store, including licensing associated with an Apple ID and notifications for updates.
There is not currently a way to have the App Store recognize previously installed, paid third-party software, as this would leave Apple out of its 30 percent cut of all App Store sales. That means users who want the convenience of the App Store will need to buy the software again.
Before users can download anything from the store, they must first agree to new iTunes terms and conditions, updated to reflect the availability of the Mac App Store. After a purchase is made and the download initiated, its icon shows up on the dock, and a progress bar is displayed below it on the dock. Here again, the installation process looks and feels much like installing software on an iOS device.
Even the applications themselves will be familiar to iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users. Many of the same popular game titles have already come to Mac among the first thousand App Store options, including "Angry Birds," "Flight Control HD" and "The Incident."
Like with iTunes, users can obtain a link to a specific application and share it with friends. But browsing the Mac App Store in its own application does seem strange, given that iOS App Store purchases can only be made on Mac OS X through iTunes, where users also manage and sync their iPhone and iPad.
The release of the Mac App Store is Apple's first major step toward bringing features from the popular iOS to the Mac platform. Though the App Store is available for Snow Leopard through an update, it will be an integral part of Apple's next major operating system upgrade, Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, due out this summer.
Apple gave a glimpse of Lion at a media event it held last October, noting that it would bring multi-touch gestures, App Home screens and full-screen apps from iOS to its desktop operating system. Also like iOS, applications will have the ability to automatically save, and to resume where they left off when they are relaunched.
The Mac App Store was released Thursday morning as a part of the Mac OS X 10.6.6 update for Snow Leopard. Upon applying the update and restarting their Mac, users will find the App Store icon in their dock.
The storefront looks and feels just like its iOS counterparts, with a "Featured" section that greets users when it is first launched. From here, a variety of software options in multiple categories are highlighted by Apple.
The Mac App Store will be instantly familiar to iOS users, with essentially the same layout, including lists available for the top paid, free and grossing applications. The same sections are presented with identical icons, like "Featured," "Top Charts" and "Updates," with one new option: "Purchases." And software is available in the same categories, including "Business," "Games," and "Music."
The App Store serves as a place not only to find new software, but also to manage applications and be notified of updates. Some of Apple's own applications, like the iLife '11 suite, were immediately identified as already installed by the Mac App Store. But on at least one machine, the Work '09 suite of Pages, Numbers and Keynote displayed the option to buy for $19.99 each, even though they were already on the system.
Also, strangely, Apple has highlighted its iWork suite in the Mac App Store, calling it "new," even though the only version available is iWork '09. Last November, AppleInsider reported that Apple has apparently completed development of iWork '11, but the company chose to hold off on releasing it until the Mac App Store opened for business.
In addition, free third-party applications already installed from outside the new App Store are not recognized, but they can be reinstalled with the new storefront. Rather than leaving users two copies of the free software on their Mac, the App Store installation process simply reinstalls the application, but gives it the benefits of the App Store, including licensing associated with an Apple ID and notifications for updates.
There is not currently a way to have the App Store recognize previously installed, paid third-party software, as this would leave Apple out of its 30 percent cut of all App Store sales. That means users who want the convenience of the App Store will need to buy the software again.
Before users can download anything from the store, they must first agree to new iTunes terms and conditions, updated to reflect the availability of the Mac App Store. After a purchase is made and the download initiated, its icon shows up on the dock, and a progress bar is displayed below it on the dock. Here again, the installation process looks and feels much like installing software on an iOS device.
Even the applications themselves will be familiar to iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users. Many of the same popular game titles have already come to Mac among the first thousand App Store options, including "Angry Birds," "Flight Control HD" and "The Incident."
Like with iTunes, users can obtain a link to a specific application and share it with friends. But browsing the Mac App Store in its own application does seem strange, given that iOS App Store purchases can only be made on Mac OS X through iTunes, where users also manage and sync their iPhone and iPad.
The release of the Mac App Store is Apple's first major step toward bringing features from the popular iOS to the Mac platform. Though the App Store is available for Snow Leopard through an update, it will be an integral part of Apple's next major operating system upgrade, Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, due out this summer.
Apple gave a glimpse of Lion at a media event it held last October, noting that it would bring multi-touch gestures, App Home screens and full-screen apps from iOS to its desktop operating system. Also like iOS, applications will have the ability to automatically save, and to resume where they left off when they are relaunched.
Comments
I assume this won't work with 10.5.8?
Nope, just update to 10.6.6 and you will get the Mac App Store.
It is nice having the store outside iTunes. Hopefully, they split off the AppStore for the iPhone and iPad too. iTunes does too much right now.
Seem to be some bugs when installing apps on new machines though. They don't show up permanently as an installed in the application until the first time you run them. It switches to installed, but if you switch screens and come back it reverts to uninstalled.
Appleinsider needs to get it's facts right!!!
Not sure if this affects other people, but do you guys get no prompt when buying apps? I had a friend tell me he accidentally purchased an $80 app. Seems like a bit of a problem to me.
I have been asked to enter my Apple ID password for each App that I have purchased, even free Apps.
on at least one machine, the Work '09 suite of Pages, Numbers and Keynote displayed the option to buy for $19.99 each, even though they were already on the system.
An issue that might be fixable with an update to the iWork on the machine. Who knows what they are about to do.
In addition, free third-party applications already installed from outside the new App Store are not recognized, but they can be reinstalled with the new storefront. Rather than leaving users two copies of the free software on their Mac, the App Store installation process simply reinstalls the application, but gives it the benefits of the App Store, including licensing associated with an Apple ID and notifications for updates.
If it is/was free I see no issue there. And other reviews are saying that some apps do show as installed. Perhaps via some kind of update to the previous version in recent days to report the info to the store.
There is not currently a way to have the App Store recognize previously installed, paid third-party software, as this would leave Apple out of its 30 percent cut of all App Store sales. That means users who want the convenience of the App Store will need to buy the software again.
The developers chose to enter the store, chose if they wanted to stop using all other channels etc. So really the snark is a bit much.
The release of the Mac App Store is Apple's first major step toward bringing features from the popular iOS to the Mac platform.
I am not sure where you pulled that from. Seems more like a first step to making it easier to find and buy Mac software, exploding the still popular myth that there is hardly any good third party software for the Mac
Nope, just update to 10.6.6 and you will get the Mac App Store.
By that you mean pay for Snow Leopard and then run Software Update, of course.
Not sure if this affects other people, but do you guys get no prompt when buying apps? I had a friend tell me he accidentally purchased an $80 app. Seems like a bit of a problem to me.
In the iTMS, if you've recently purchased an item, the next time you purchase (within 15 minutes, if I heard right), you don't get the prompt.
You should get a prompt the first time. I just got Sketchbook Express (free) and it asked me to authenticate. Your friend probably had recently bought something on his account a short time before (or a family member using his computer & account might have). Hopefully, that's what happened.
i did it couple of times on ipad, well, actually it was my 4 yo son who did it. after i talked to itunes support, they just refunded money and left the apps on my ipads. since your friend's app is $80, it might be harder to convince itune support. but your friend should give it a try.
By that you mean pay for Snow Leopard and then run Software Update, of course.
Yes, you have to invest a whole $27 to get Snow Leopard.
Digging in the console message, I get:
11.01.06 13:31:36 \tinstalld[236]\tPackageKit: Install Failed: (null)
Error Domain=PKInstallErrorDomain Code=114 UserInfo=0x1020c6da0 "An error occurred while setting up files for deferred installation." Underlying Error=(Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=513 UserInfo=0x10537e950 "You don?t have permission to save the file ?rc.deferred_install? in the folder ?etc?." Underlying Error=(Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=1 "The operation couldn?t be completed. Operation not permitted")) {
NSLocalizedDescription = "An error occurred while setting up files for deferred installation.";
NSUnderlyingError = "Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=513 UserInfo=0x10537e950 \\"You don\\U2019t have permission to save the file \\U201crc.deferred_install\\U201d in the folder \\U201cetc\\U201d.\\" Underlying Error=(Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=1 \\"The operation couldn\\U2019t be completed. Operation not permitted\\")";
}
Repaired permissions. Still no success. Anyone else?
I am not sure where you pulled that from. Seems more like a first step to making it easier to find and buy Mac software, exploding the still popular myth that there is hardly any good third party software for the Mac
I believe that a lot of iPhone and iPad users were hoping that many of the features that developers created in the iOS apps would also be developed for applications on the Mac.
I tried installing with updater and by DLing the dmg. But it failed to install.
Digging in the console message, I get:
11.01.06 13:31:36 \tinstalld[236]\tPackageKit: Install Failed: (null)
Error Domain=PKInstallErrorDomain Code=114 UserInfo=0x1020c6da0 "An error occurred while setting up files for deferred installation." Underlying Error=(Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=513 UserInfo=0x10537e950 "You don’t have permission to save the file “rc.deferred_install” in the folder “etc”." Underlying Error=(Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=1 "The operation couldn’t be completed. Operation not permitted")) {
NSLocalizedDescription = "An error occurred while setting up files for deferred installation.";
NSUnderlyingError = "Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=513 UserInfo=0x10537e950 \\"You don\\U2019t have permission to save the file \\U201crc.deferred_install\\U201d in the folder \\U201cetc\\U201d.\\" Underlying Error=(Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=1 \\"The operation couldn\\U2019t be completed. Operation not permitted\\")";
}
Repaired permissions. Still no success. Anyone else?
Could you let us know on what Mac and current OS are you attempting this?
The developers chose to enter the store, chose if they wanted to stop using all other channels etc. So really the snark is a bit much.
It seems to me that Apple is missing a good chance to at least partially reverse the conviction that more people are getting as time goes by with Apple's growth, which is their greed seems to be increasing along with their size and profits.
As a shareholder, I have no problem having Apple forego some cuts from software that people already own when side grading to an app store version. It would be good for developers, customers, and Apple itself to allow people to do this without penalty. It isn't just a matter of the developer deciding to enter the app store. Smaller developers may almost feel forced to comply as their competitors do so.
But this could be a mess. Developers will have to have two versions of an upgrade or update, and consumers will have to decide which way to go. Meanwhile, the costs to Apple are little. If we can do this with free apps, then there is no reason we can't do this with paid apps as well. It's just Apple thinking that if developers are making money on their product, then Apple wants to make their cut. But this would just be for the first generation of software. It would be a non reoccurring expense. It wouldn't cost Apple much. But it would be good publicity.
Also, what about different versions? What if you want to keep an older version of the software to run on an older OS on a different Mac?
Unfortunately, Apple's version is still inferior since it doesn't handle dependency management and doesn't (appear to) allow the use of third party channels.
So how do you back up the software purchases? Where does the installer go? And how do you install the software on other computers?
Your Apple ID is all you need.