First Look at the Mac App Store, Lots of Potential for Success

This morning, if you check for updates on your Mac, you’ll get Mac OSX Update 10.6.6. This includes a number of bug fixes and most notably a new icon next to your finder icon. The Mac App Store is live. After success with the App store for iPhone, iPod, and iPad, Apple is moving this platform to the desktop.

I previously wrote how Apple is a master at change management. It has gotten people used to the ease and comfort of the mobile app store. Many purchase apps on their phones and others through iTunes. Now, by creating a similar store on the desktop, it’s going to draw people to the same user experience on the desktop. Previously, buying software meant going through the vendors site, download or receiving the software, and entering serial numbers. Each process is different and serial numbers are a pain to manage. As a third party, Apple manages all that, allowing developers to create and consumers to buy (and of course taking a 30% cut in the middle).

This morning, I quickly downloaded the update and gave everything a go. The design and feel is very familiar. With only 1000 apps at launch, feels a little sparse. Look out for Apple to quickly ramp up.

Each application page seems to be custom designed for that specific application. In this case, Sketchbook Pro has its own special background. From the pricing perspective, Sketchbook Pro is $29.99 special introductory price. The retail price of the software is $79.99 from Amazon or Autodesk.

Expect prices to fluxuate as developers navigate through the new App system. As apps are put side by side, there will be more competition among developers and we should expect to see prices slide. From the mobile perspective, we see $0.99 apps succeeding over higher priced apps.

Below is an example of some of the apps currently in the store:

• Pixelmater – $29.99 – Normally $59.99
• Aperture 3 – $79.99 – Normally $199
• iLife apps (iPhoto, iMovie, Garage Band) – $14.99 each, previously you had to buy them as a bundle.
• iWorks (Pages, Numbers, Keynote) – $19.99 each, previously you had to buy them as a bundle. It appears that iWorks 2011 is not available yet. Don’t buy until the new version comes out.
• Angry Birds – $4.99, expect to see a proliferation of quick games and fast decline in the American workforce productivity levels.
• Twitter – Free, previously known as Tweetie. This is the official twitter app, now on Mac.

Apps bought outside of the App Store

It’s a little uncertain on what happens to your apps that you previously purchased. For Apple apps, it appears that the store recognizes it and shows it as installed. I own a copy of Pixelmater and it shows the buy now price rather than installed.

Apps already installed

It appears that Apple apps such as iWorks and iLife are instantly recognized. I already had a copy of Evernote installed previously and the Mac Store showed it as free. I downloaded a copy and now it shows installed. When I opened it, Evernote launched just as normal and my data appeared intact.

Be careful not to pay for apps you already own previously.

Other app stores coming

Several other software stores are already available or coming.

• Steam – an all games store.
• Bodega – an alternative and more developer friendly app store.
• Cydia – the iOS jailbreak store. Expect to see heavy mods to the OSX environment.

Bottom Line

I suggest holding off on buying apps until prices normalize. Expect to see similar “sales” as in the iOS environment. Developers tend to have fire sales to encourage word of mouth and feedback on their software. I’m very excited to see a unified store and more reasonable software prices coming soon.