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Mac OS X 10.6.6 build 10J537 seeded, Mac App Store clarification says no demos
Two items: last night Apple seeded another build of 10.6.6 (we reported a build had been sent back in November) build 10j537, and a Mac App Store statement from Apple has put the kibosh on any demo apps. More intriguing is this bit as reported by Macstories, wherein developers are encouraged to host demos, trials and the like on their website. Presumably developer websites listed in the Mac App Store will lure buyers to the site, where they can download a demo. Then they'll come back to the Mac App Store and buy the full version. It'll be interesting to see the numbers when this all shakes out. In any case, the Mac App Store is coming sooner, now that January 17, 2011 deadline is looming.
Chopper 2 for Mac controlled by iPhone
You've probably seen Chopper 2 here on TUAW before -- we originally covered the app's iPad-out-to-TV feature and then chatted with creator David Frampton back at WWDC last year. With the news of the Mac App Store coming soon, Frampton has decided to port the game over to the Mac, and since he already included a way to control the universal iPad app with an iPhone, he's decided to do the same thing for the Mac. On the next page, you can see a video demo of the app on the Mac being controlled by the iPhone version over Wi-Fi. It's very slick, and I don't think this will be the last connection we'll see between iOS apps and the Mac App Store. When developers are able to "control" versions of all three of their apps (iPhone, iPad and, eventually, the Mac), there are probably many more ways they can connect them up, from straight controls like this to regular syncing of information and other connections. I wouldn't be surprised if we even see Apple getting in on the action, both enabling this type of cross-platform compatibility in its own apps (controlling Keynote on the Mac from an iPhone, for example) and including helpful calls in the API to let developers do so themselves. But kudos to Frampton for his work on this one -- he tells TUAW that he wants to have the Mac app ready to go on launch day, so if you're a Chopper 2 fan, you'll be able to load it up and play right away.
iTunes November announcement: The likely and long-shot possibilities
Is it all about iTunes? Big stuff is going down tomorrow, as you know if you've happened upon Apple's front page today. Our TUAW back-channels are all aflutter as we are brainstorming as a group to figure out Apple's big tease. We've been searching the web, scanning HTML source, scanning the iTunes application bundle and more all to try to second-guess what might be happening. No, we don't have any firm answers, but here are some of the things that we think might be included in tomorrow's developments. We'll run down our thoughts and discoveries to date, which we will be updating and amending as new facts come to light. So take these thoughts for what they are -- guesses and observations. We're not certain about any of it, and we're happy to be corrected or pointed towards more or better facts. Feel free to jump in in the comments -- we're dying to hear what you think as well.
Apple hiring Mac App Store reviewers
Always wanted to work for Apple but not sure about in what capacity? If apps are your thing, this could be your lucky day as MacNN is reporting that Apple Worldwide Developer Relations is now hiring Mac App Store reviewers, or "Mac Application Reviewers" as corporate likes to call them. These positions are based near Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, and while the only main requirement for potential candidates must be a familiarity with OS X, some favor is given to those who are also proficient in written French, German, or Japanese. While Mac App Store submissions began on November 3 and with the Mac App Store slated to open around January 20, 2011, Apple is looking to hire several "meticulous, analytical, hardworking, and detail-oriented" people with strong customer service skills for these Mac Application Reviewer positions. That's you, right? So what are you waiting for? [via MacNN]
OmniGraffle for iPad 1.4 out now
For those of you who don't know, OmniGraffle for the iPad (also available for the Mac) is a tool that helps you turn complex ideas and processes into clear, easily understood drawings, diagrams, charts, and the like. Basically, it's a great tool to illustrate stuff that would otherwise take too long to explain in words (for more information, our own Erica Sadun took a hands on look at the app back in April). Fans of OmniGraffle for iPad can now rejoice because its latest update has just been approved for the App Store. OmniGraffle for iPad 1.4 is iOS 4.2 ready. That means that when iOS 4.2 is released, OmniGraffle will support iOS multitasking and AirPrint. Additionally, this update introduces a whole host of new features, enhancements, and bug fixes. Some of the highlights include: an enhanced Document Browser with improved filtering and sorting, better stencil management (and you can make your own custom stencils from scratch), a new and improved Font Inspector popover and remote file syncing to iDisk (MobileMe) and WebDAV. That's just to mention a few. For owners of OmniGraffle, the update is available now through updates on the App Store. A list of all the new features and fixes can be found at the OmniGraffle website, here. And in case you missed it, The Omni Group has committed to developing for the forthcoming Mac App Store, too. All the details can be found here. [via Mac Stories]
iWork '11 may wait for the Mac App Store
Plenty of people, including some of us at TUAW, thought an updated iWork suite would debut alongside iLife at the recent "Back to the Mac" event. iWork was a no-show at that event, however, and AppleInsider claims it's because Apple is holding off on a release of iWork '11 until the launch of the Mac App Store in January. AppleInsider notes that images shown during the event showed each iWork application available for individual purchase at US$19.99 each on the Mac App Store. Even purchased separately at this price, the three applications that make up Apple's iWork suite (Pages, Keynote, and Numbers) would cost less than Apple's current $79 price for the iWork '09 bundle. Precedent exists in this area: iPad versions of Apple's iWork apps are available for $9.99 each on the App Store. It's possible that Apple could be going digital-only for iWork '11 and selling it exclusively as a means of "eating its own dog food" -- by committing to selling its own iWork applications exclusively via the Mac App Store, Apple would demonstrate that it has confidence in the endeavor. This is a change I'd welcome, personally; while I use Pages every day, I use Keynote only a few times per year, and I've launched Numbers maybe once or twice since buying iWork. Paying $40 for one essential app and one "nice to have if I need it" app is a lot easier to swallow than paying $79 for the entire suite. For that reason alone, I'm looking forward to the Mac App Store.
MacTech 2010: Wil Shipley on Noogle Noggles, a new Delicious Library and the Mac App Store
Wil Shipley is probably the premiere Mac developer -- he co-founded The Omni Group, and now runs Delicious Monster, whose Delicious Library app pretty much embodies the best of this platform we love so much. Wil kindly sat down to talk with me at last week's MacTech 2010 conference here in Los Angeles, and we chatted about what's next for Delicious Library, what the response was like to his company's Noogle Noggles app, and what he believes is in store for Apple's upcoming Mac App Store. Shipley began by saying he was a little disappointed with the way Noogle Noggles worked out -- the idea was, of course, to beat Google Goggles to the App Store, and Google worked faster than he expected. "We thought we were going to beat them by two and a half months, but they beat us by a day." Still, the app has seen a solid chunk of downloads so far. "Last I checked it was 35,000 people, and I'm like that's a pretty good number of people for working on something for a month." Photo by Flickr user Inju, licensed under Creative Commons.
Apple's example Mac app prices land around $15-20
Reader Shane did a little zoom and enhance on Apple's promo image for the Mac App Store, and divined some potential prices for Apple's official apps. These same apps are the ones that set the pricing bar on the iPad, and so if these are real (and not just photoshopped in), then they're the first official indication we've gotten of just where Apple imagines pricing should be on the App Store. And where is that? Turns out they're pretty close to current software prices -- the iLife apps are priced out at $15, while the iWork apps are priced at $20, and when you add them all up, they cost about the same as the bundles you can buy in the Apple retail store. There's also a few other titles (which appear to be just placeholders, not official Apple software, unless they're going to premiere some new apps with the App Store) at various prices. There's a dice game called Roll 'Em which is priced for free, an app called Color Studio at $29.99, and another game called Fast Lane priced at just $4.99. So as you might expect, there will be prices all over the place. Just like the iOS App Store, developers will probably come up with all sorts of ways to fund and profit from their apps, so I'm sure we'll see some popular free games as well as premium specialized apps. But it sounds like Apple is aiming to hit about $15-20 for a standard full-featured Mac app. The question, then, will be what customers are willing to pay -- obviously each app is different, and each customer has their own priorities, but it'll be very interesting to see, as the Mac App Store debuts, just what happens to prices on this software.
MacTech 2010: Daniel Jalkut on the Mac App Store and more
Daniel Jalkut of Red Sweater Software (creator developer of MarsEdit, a TUAW favorite app for blogging) gave a talk at MacTech 2010 this morning about unit testing Mac apps, and while his developer talk was mostly over our heads, he did kindly allow us to corner him afterwards to chat about the state of Mac development and what he expects out of Apple's upcoming Mac App Store. Like most of the developers we've met up with at the conference this week, Jalkut is hesitant but optimistic about the way the Mac App Store will work. His most recent issue is with so-called "land grabbers" on the App Store -- some developers are already grabbing up names (since submissions just started recently), and Jalkut is worried that Apple regulations means he won't be able to call his upcoming iPhone app by the same name as his widely used Mac app. "Which, as you can imagine," he told me, "is kind of a challenge and a problem."
Mac App Store begins accepting apps, submit your Trism, I Am Rich and fart programs now
If the original iTunes App Store and Android Market launches were any indication, it's going to take software devs some time to adjust to another platform still... but the acclimation process for Apple's desktop marketplace starts right now. Registered Mac developers are receiving emails inviting them to begin submitting programs to the Mac App Store even as we speak, and the above banner is flying high on Apple's developer website. If you're comfortable with Apple's extensive guidelines and have a idea ready to go, you'd best get a move on -- there are fewer than 76 days remaining before the whole shebang goes live. By the way, we're joking in this article's headline: please, if you're reading this, please don't submit any fart programs this time.
Apple now accepting submissions for Mac App Store
Apple has apparently notified developers that it is now accepting submissions for the upcoming Mac App Store. An email to devs from Apple has links on how to set up an iTunes Connect account and the associated certificates. Developers can send apps in right now to have them ready for the approval process for the new Mac App Store. There's no word yet on which developers are jumping on this, but I'm sure we'll find out when the store goes live soon which developers took advantage of this opportunity right away. And when we say soon, we mean it -- Apple originally said that developers would be able to start submitting apps in November, and, true to their word, here we are on November 3rd. Apple also said that the Mac App Store would be live within 90 days from the Back to the Mac event a couple of weeks ago, so there's every reason to think it should be live within the next few months. Stay tuned -- this should be fun.
MacTech 2010: Andy Ihnatko on the coming of Lion
Commentator Andy Ihnatko took the stage at this week's MacTech conference here in Los Angeles today to give the conference keynote. In his talk, Ihnatko spoke about the upcoming new version of OS X, Lion, and specifically three different features of it. First, he talked about the Mac App Store, and what he thought would be the outcome of Apple bringing an App Store system to its desktop platform. Then, he spoke about what he called "unitasking," and how focusing on just one task at a time both changes the way computers work and the way we do, and finally he mentioned Apple's changing hardware, and how the new MacBook Air embodies Apple's ongoing curve in hardware creation and production. First up was Ihnatko's opinion on the Mac App Store so far, and he said that though he'd been "trying to get upset about it," he actually liked the idea. "The good news," he said, is that "Apple really doesn't care about" developers. Instead, it cares about users, and from users' point of view, the Mac App Store is actually a great idea. Though developers may have issues with it, Ihnatko said that anything that allows more than the around 200,000 (he estimated) Mac users out of 40 million to actually purchase and use apps will end up being a good thing.
Pixelmator setting up shop in the Mac App Store
Pixelmator is a favorite Mac application around TUAW. The US$59 image editor is used by many of our bloggers to fix or manipulate the pictures you see here on the site. We were thrilled to see that the Pixelmator team announced on their blog that they'll be selling their application in the upcoming Mac App Store. The team says that they're happy that they'll be able to focus on continuing to make Pixelmator the top Mac image editor instead of spending time on figuring out ways to get the word out about their app or manage a web store to sell the product. They're also lovin' the fact that they no longer have to work on developing and keeping up update and licensing systems, digital rights management, and similar time-consuming -- but necessary -- back-end systems. Now they can simply focus on Pixelmator and leave the rest to Apple. It's good to see that the Pixelmator Team is supportive of the Mac App Store, and we wish them continued success as they move into their new "home."
Talkcast tonight, 10pm ET: Mac App Store & more, open phones for developers
There was something for everyone at Wednesday's 'Back to the Mac' event: new hardware, new software, new OS preview and new paradigm for Mac software sales. If you've got an opinion on any of these topics -- and we know you do -- then be sure to join us tonight on the TUAW Talkcast. We're going to be joined by a special guest this week: Talkcast frequent flyer Ged Maheux from the Iconfactory (the company's latest iPhone app, music auto-resume utility Take Five, is on the App Store now). Ged will bring his perspective on the Mac App Store, so we'd also like to extend a special invitation to any and all Mac developers: come on down! We want to hear your take. To participate on TalkShoe, you can use the browser-only client, the embedded Facebook app, or the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for maximum fun, you should call in. For the Web UI, just click the "TalkShoe Web" button on our profile page at 10 pm on Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (take advantage of your free cellphone weekend minutes if you like): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8. If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac or your PC, you can connect via the free Gizmo or X-Lite SIP clients or by using the TalkShoe client's ShoePhone tool; basic instructions are here. We'll kick things off at 10pm ET/ 7pm PT. See you there!
Omni Group commits to Mac App Store development
It should come as no surprise to anyone that the Omni Group has jumped aboard the Mac App Store train. Omni has long been a popular creator of Mac applications and has done pretty well for itself with the iOS apps that it has already released, with more on the way. On the day after the Back to the Mac event, Omni Group CEO Ken Case tweeted that the Mac OS X versions of all five of the company's Mac apps will also be available on the Mac App Store. That group includes the ever popular OmniOutliner, plus OmniFocus, OmniGraffle, OmniGraphSketcher, and OmniPlan. OmniFocus and OmniGraffle are already available for the iPad, with OmniGraphSketcher and the others promised soon. In all likelihood the vast majority of Mac developers will move into the App Store, with the likely exceptions of Adobe and Microsoft. For most developers, having an outlet built into the OS and avoiding the hassles of payment systems just seems like too good a deal to pass up. [via MacObserver]
Can you trust a Steve Jobs email? "Nope."
A reader just emailed us to point out a post I wrote this past April. MacStories.net had published an email a developer at Chiaro Software had sent Steve Jobs to ask him if the rumors of a Mac App Store and no software running on OS X without authorization from Apple were true. Job's answer? "Nope." Yesterday's Mac App Store announcement puts a different spin on that response. Jobs sent the "nope" email in late April. It's unrealistic to think that Apple had no plans for a Mac App Store at that time -- I mean, it was less than six months ago. Does that mean Jobs was lying? Not lying so much as 'selectively answering.' The developer asked Jobs a two-part question to which Jobs answered truthfully to one part (you will still be able to install & run OS X apps on the Mac that are not bought through the Mac App Store) and left out the part where Apple was actually working on a Mac App Store. So the "nope" was true -- just not the whole truth. As my colleague Erica Sadun has pointed out, regarding Apple's future product directions and plans, when Jobs says "No" you should always hear "Maybe."
Apple's Mac App Store Review Guidelines posted -- will Photoshop make it in?
No surprise that Apple's new Mac App Store has a similar set of rules and regulations as the iPhone App Store, and we just got the full list. There's nothing here that's too different from the iPhone review guidelines, but it all seems terribly odd when applied to a regular computer, and some of the more restrictive policies have already drawn ire from developers like Mozilla's Director of Firefox Mike Beltzner, who says the restriction against beta code won't work well with the Mozilla "open beta" development process. That's definitely a valid criticism, especially if the Mac App Store becomes the dominant way for Mac users to get apps, but there's a crucial difference here: unlike the iPhone, Macs can run software from any source, not just the App Store. That means apps that don't meet Apple's Store guidelines can still be freely used by any Mac user without going through jailbreak hoops, and we think that's an ideal compromise: it allows Apple to control much of the Mac experience, since developers will have a huge incentive to comply with the review guidelines and get into the store, but still allows other types of apps and utilities to flourish -- including, say Firefox betas. (We might have written an editorial arguing for exactly this approach on the iPhone in the past, come to think about it.) So with that said, let's examine Apple's Mac App Store Review Guidelines, which were just posted yesterday -- you can grab the PDF here and read the whole thing, but we're just going to break out the parts that seem more interesting or different than what we've seen in the past. Our biggest takeaway? Interpreted on their face, some of these rules would mean major Mac apps like Adobe Creative Suite 5 and Microsoft Office won't be in the Mac App Store, and that's obviously a problem. Read on to see what we mean.
Developer reactions to the Mac App Store
The announcement of the Mac App Store has caused mixed feelings for everybody, but I was especially curious to get a wider view of reactions from the people directly involved in Mac software creation and development. TUAW polled several developers to find out what their initial reactions were, and I'd like to present a few thoughts, straight from the mouths (and keyboards) of the Mac software community.
iLife, iWork apps to sell individually in Mac App Store
It seems that Apple will sell its iWork and iLife apps individually through the forthcoming Mac App Store. Some keen-eyed observers noticed hints during this week's demonstration, ElectricPig reports. During the demo, you could clearly see GarageBand, iMovie and iPhoto icons among the available apps. Indeed, the screenshot on the official Lion information page shows the same thing. It's impossible to see what the cost will be (we *think* it says $14.95), but the idea is interesting. Many users buy the bundle for one or two apps only (iMove and iPhoto, but not GarageBand for instance). An a la carte offering would prevent those shoppers from paying for an app(s) that they won't use. The Mac App Store will premiere for Snow Leopard users in about 90 days. We'll know for sure by then. [Via MacNN]
App Store for Mac highlights two major App Store flaws
The idea of a Mac App Store is great... from a certain point of view. As it currently exists, the App Store has several problems and limitations which could be fairly easily removed. 1. Demos/Trial Periods/Returns: I'm not going to state unequivocally that Apple will have demos in the Mac App Store, but I will state unequivocally that Apple should have demos in the Mac App Store. As noted earlier, the Mac App Store guidelines state "Apps that are 'beta', 'demo', 'trial', or 'test' versions will be rejected." That's the same as the iOS App Store guidelines. That should change. Demos aren't just for small developers. Apple has offered demos for their apps, including iWork and Aperture. Adobe and Microsoft have as well. They give users a chance to try out an application without having to commit to it. This concept is almost as old as computers themselves. Apple could address this very simply, without forcing users to understand 'demo' or 'trial' versions. All they need to do is say, "You have X days to change your mind after you download an app." Maybe it's two days, maybe seven, but some clearly defined window of opportunity. Most people are going to buy and go on. Some who buy and don't like it will delete it. The App Store will know what apps you have installed. If you delete it before the return window closes, Apple simply doesn't charge your credit card. That saves the developers from losing 30% of the cost of their app on a return, and Apple already purchases some length of time before processing them. Amazon lets users return Kindle content for 7 days after purchase (hat tip to Patrick Burleson for that one!), and Android has as similar return window. Don't tell me Apple can't do the same thing. 2. Upgrade pricing: Right now, developers have no way of giving free or discounted upgrades to existing customers. This has been a problem that Apple was going to need to address even without a Mac App Store. Sure you may be willing to spend $40 on OmniFocus for iPad, but are you going to be equally willing to spend $40 for version 2? The folks at Iconfactory were skewered over a $5 upgrade for Twitterrific, can you imagine what OmniGroup is going to face when their apps come up for upgrade? Again, this is a simple fix: Developers should be able to set two prices: one for those who have bought a previous version, and another for those who haven't. Apple knows your purchase history, and should simply display the appropriate price in the App Store. It's not rocket science. Apple doesn't do upgrade pricing for its consumer apps. If you go to buy iWork or iLife, you're paying the same price regardless of whether you've been an iLife user since the beginning or whether you're just picking it up. Logic Express, Aperture, Final Cut Express, and Final Cut Studio all have upgrade pricing. These are both problems which existed yesterday before there was a Mac App Store, but the existence of a Mac App Store just makes these two problems all the more obvious. Both could be easily fixed, but it's entirely up to Apple to fix them. Doing so will benefit not just Mac users, but iOS users too.
