Developers have yet another app store to submit to: according to MacLife, Apple‘s Mac App Store is now open to developer submissions. Apple announced the new app store week before last at its Back to the Mac event. According to Apple, the marketplace will be open within 90 days.
A notice sent to Apple developers earlier today read:
The Mac App Store will be opening soon. You can get ready by submitting your Mac apps for review now. Log in to the Mac Dev Center for details on setting up an iTunes Connect account, creating Apple-issued Mac Distribution Certificates, and preparing your apps for the review process.
We’ve previously covered Apple’s controversial guidelines and Mozilla‘s Mike Beltzner’s objections to the new store. Developers willing to play by Apple’s rules will likely find the new store a boon to their efforts. The store will take care of billing and bandwidth headaches, and offer more exposure.
Rumor circulated last spring that OSX 10.7 would only run apps from a Mac App Store. Steve Jobs has responded to the rumors saying only “Nope.” Turns out the rumor of a Mac App Store was correct, but the rumor of a lock-down was not. That won’t likely stop concerns that Apple is maneuvering to limit both user and developer freedom, especially considering that Java has been deprecated.
You can read our feature on web app stores and why they will be big here.
