Apple's app store will be a minor success

It is rumored that Apple will be launching an app store for the Mac in a few days and the big question is will it be a success? I think it will be successful in a small way, but nowhere near the extent of the iTunes app store for iPhones and iPod Touches. A Mac app store offers some advantages to some people, but no matter how hard Apple tries to convince people that it is the best thing ever, it really won't be. It will be useful in some circumstances, but sometimes you'll want to look elsewhere for you apps and there will be several pros and cons of using an Apple Mac app store.

iPhone and iPod Touch owners are forced to buy from the iTunes app store and there is no alternative source of software. The store has a 100% market share and everyone else is locked out. This is why it is so successful and why so many people use it. When it comes to buying Mac software though, you can buy from high street stores, you can buy from online stores and you can buy direct from the software publisher. An Apple-run Mac app store will just be one more supplier among a large number of suppliers and this is one reason why it won't be as successful as the iTunes app store.

There are thousands of applications for the Mac and searches at Google and dedicated software sites will enable you to find them very easily. A big problem is trust though. You might see a great app on a website that you would like, but you've never heard of the company or person selling it and you are nervous about handing over your credit card details to them. Can they be trusted or is it a scam? This is where an Apple Mac app store will score. It will be an online store that you can trust. It will be brilliant for small developers and little known companies because they'll be able to sell through the app store to people that wouldn't normally buy from them or even find them on the web. Consumers will feel at ease handing over credit card details to Apple and sales will boom.

It will be less of an advantage to a big company and no-one has any issues about buying Photoshop direct from Adobe. It's the little companies and back-bedroom programmers that will benefit the most.

The app store apparently won't allow betas, demos or trials and this is a clear disadvantage. Without a trial you won't know whether the software is suitable for you or whether you'll like it and therefore buying it will be a bit of a gamble. Software developers may offer trials on their websites though, so it may be possible to track down one and try it. You could later then buy it through the app store if you do decide that it's a great app and is useful to you.

One advantage of buying direct from the developer though is that you can often get big discounts. You download some software, try it and when the trial period runs out you can get big discount offers in your email inbox. This isn't going to happen with the app store. Software from the app store may cost more than you would otherwise pay, so shop around for the best deal.

The app store will be good for people that don't know much about computers because it will be easy to access and it'll be easy to download and install software. This is another reason why it will be a success.


So there are pros and cons with an Apple Mac app store. I for one will only buy from it if I can't find the application cheaper elsewhere and then only after I have run a free trial though.