Mac App Store relevance

Written by

Marco Arment:

But now, I’ve lost all confidence that the apps I buy in the App Store today will still be there next month or next year. The advantages of buying from the App Store are mostly gone now. My confidence in the App Store, as a customer, has evaporated.

Marco brings up many good points in his article. I’ll admit, I’m not at the same point of frustration that he is, but I can see where he’s going with the argument. I’ve spoken to a number of developers that removed their apps from the Mac App Store and none of them wanted to do it, but they felt it was their only choice.

The vast majority of people will go where the apps are and where it’s most convenient for them. Currently, that’s the Mac App Store. However, if Apple forces developers to leave that could change quickly.



  • D Pauw

    Thought this article paired well with the Steam Linux compatibility article. Hope Apple sorts out the sandboxing issue (not really sure the lack of upgrades is a killer but apps just not running is).

  • http://twitter.com/kisspentyouth Kisspent Youth

    I think sand boxing is about transitioning the OS to iCloud in the long run. Developers who solve the problems will be the ones who reap the most benefit when the transition is complete.

    We are all still thinking too much about how the OS is today, not what it might be. Think back to Steve Jobs’s slide that showed the Mac effectively relegated to the same status as an iPad or iPhone. The clues are already there.

    The transition might be painful (and developers are telling us and Apple that it is) but I’m sure it will be worth it in the end.