Couldn't it work in reverse? There must be people who learned Cocoa/Objective-C only to get on the iPhone bandwagon, and are therefore closer to Mac software development than they would ever have been without the iPhone.
The article doesn't seem to think that a Mac app store would work, but I know I'd like one (speaking both as a maker and user of Mac software). I know I'd buy more, too; it would be easier to know what's actually available, and I'd discover apps for unexpected things.
You're free to submit your software here as far as I can tell, and I don't think there's any requirements (no annual fee etc). I guess the problem is most Mac users don't know it exists
Such directories don't do enough for users, which is why they do not get as much attention as the iPhone App Store.
From the article:
What if Apple did an App Store for Mac software?
I doubt they’d actually do it. Apple loves control and there’s no way that they can have total control over Mac software sales since the current distribution and sales methods are in place and well established.
Apple could release new SDKs for other kinds of machines, which require software distribution through an App Store. This would give them control over such a market.
I think this may well happen. The "Apple Tablet" would be a great platform to get this started. Having such a walled garden would seem great from the non computer-savvy end user's point of view. The user pays an "Apple Tax" and the government polices everything and keeps things clean and safe. As it was and still is (not as much) in the freewheeling "wild west" of the online world, if one doesn't have certain skills, one is a second-class citizen at the mercy of the more skilled individuals. In such a walled garden world, the "law abiding taxpayer" would be the one catered to, and those special skilled individuals become the outlaws. (Or become civil servants and use their skills at the behest of the government.)
For better or for worse, I think that this is actually what a lot of the less sophisticated computer users want! (Witness Linux distros like Xandros.) It's also in Apple's DNA -- getting people to pony up for a well-tended, smoother experience.
This is an incredibly one-sided view. Clearly if you're a Mac developer, you switch to iPhone development and you start receiving truckloads of cash, you're going to think Mac developers would be stupid not to do the same. However:
1. Most iPhone apps are not incredibly successful.
2. Taptaptap has the full weight of the MacHeist marketing machine behind it.
Even if a swathe of Mac developers did move to iPhone, it wouldn't be long before the majority moved back to the Mac when the iPhone Dream didn't materialise. Indeed, if Mac development was going to die, it would have done already.
I think the point is that given a set of skills and resources (i.e. Cocoa & great design skills) it's way more profitable (5x in TapTapTap's case) to direct them towards iPhone development.
There are different opportunities on the two platforms, but the difference in profitability will absolutely draw some people away from Mac development: it's drawing people away from everything — I know at least 5 ex-Java or .Net guys doing iPhone development full time now.
> it wouldn't be long before the majority moved back to the Mac when the iPhone Dream didn't materialise.
It might be less competitive, but it's not like Mac development is a sure bet that you can just fall back on.
neither of your points matters if you believe his assertion that (roughly) the 1000th most popular iPhone app generates 5x the revenue of the 100th most popular Mac shareware app.
Not entirely a fair comparison. It's comparing shareware apps to the entire iPhone market. I'd venture to guess that nobody would call anything put out by Microsoft, Adobe, EA, or hundreds of other companies shareware, but those same companies are all in the same iPhone market.
Having some knowledge of practical shareware economics, this seems to me to neglect that the 100th most popular Mac shareware app will have significant revenue next year barring black swans or the programmer removing it from the market, but the 1000th most popular iPhone app is at the mercy of a hideous sales trajectory.
The main drivers of sales in shareware all get better with age, which is the exact opposite of the main drivers of sales in iPhone apps.
Top 300 apps make $700-$1000/day, so what they're seeing isn't at all outside the norm for folks with reasonably popular apps. #1 Books = #260 overall, as a reference point.
App Bodega (http://www.appbodega.com) is a somewhat successful Mac app store that I find useful for finding new apps and keeping track of app updates. It's also really well done in terms of UI / usability. It's a shame they failed to even mention it - they're not helping the situation.
Oh, and from what I understand Apple is working on a Mac app store. As someone getting ready to launch a Mac shareware app I found this quote especially hilarious:
"Mac software sales since the current distribution and sales methods are in place and well established."
Apple would have complete control over the software they wanted to offer on a theoretical Mac App Store. Not so different from the retail boxed software they sell at Apple Stores. I don't think it's on the top of their priority list but I bet it happens eventually. If you look at Steam on Windows you see there is a proven model for success with desktop app stores.
But Steam's DRM system actually provides some value to the customer: it makes for a very effective anti-cheating system.
If you are detected cheating, you get banned at a random point within a few days (to kill your testing cycle), and you lose your purchase. The only time you ever see cheating is during free-pass weekends. I normally pirate everything, but this is worth paying for.
A well tended walled garden in the form of an App Store for Apple Tablet computers and newer consumer-oriented computers would provide a lot of value.
To most users, a general purpose computer is a power tool that they'll never make full use of. What most people really want in a personal computer is a backplane for various appliances. They just want to buy those things, install them, and have them just work. If an App Store ecosystem could mean Apple could completely shepherd users and take care of their every need, then this would add value in much the same way. And Apple would be able to figure out how to market this and get paid handsomely. This is the exactly the direction that Apple is going with their retail stores. (Especially with the revamp to increase the social interactivity.)
I think so too. We've enjoyed some good times with security-through-obsecurity on OSX but it's not going to last forever. I'm leaning towards wanting most of my apps being vetted and distributed through a trusted source. Of course I would want to keep the option to install anything I wanted. Given the choice I would choose to install via a Mac App Store whenever possible. I feel like anti-virus, anti-malware, etc are like missile defense. Yeah it might work most of the time, in theory, but if one slips past and hits your city it doesn't really matter. I find when I use Windows these days I am irrationally paranoid about installing any third party software. If/When OSX increases in popularity and becomes a bigger target I fear the same thing will happen.
Steam is a tough comparison, as it targets hardcore gamers who are typically insatiable for new releases. What happens with standard apps? Some Mac user or shop buys the 4 or 5 apps they need and then ... nothing. A Mac app store would be great for visibility, updates, etc. But it doesn't seem like a very profitable venture.
I haven't used Steam myself but I understand it's popular for older titles these days too. Gaming is kind of a consumable product compared to productivity or utility software though. A Mac App Store would probably have to go hand & hand with a new era of casual Mac gaming building on popular iPhone game franchises. One interesting angle is using the iPhone/Touch itself as a Wii style controller
I think it is on the top of their priority list: it's the perfect thing to introduce along with the tablet. "Our new Multitouch store is stocked with apps that are hand-tuned for your fingers, but will still work great on your iMac or Macbook."
This reminds of the "Desktops are dead" articles that have been written for years. With the growth of people in the world using more and more computers everyday, there is plenty of room for new distribution channels, stores (Slate Store?), platforms and such. Even this developer who authored an article about the death of Mac software said they would continue writing and supporting it.
And it may also just be semantics, but since when is writing for the App store not Mac software?
> And it may also just be semantics, but since when is writing for the App store not Mac software?
Since the App Store launched. Mac is Apple's line of computers. The App Store sells applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch, neither of which is a Mac.
I'd be interested to know how the shareware market is doing on Windows ... no really, selling shareware is still viable? If it is, I've got a cool idea I'd like to implement.
The article doesn't seem to think that a Mac app store would work, but I know I'd like one (speaking both as a maker and user of Mac software). I know I'd buy more, too; it would be easier to know what's actually available, and I'd discover apps for unexpected things.