Having recently opened an App Store for Android to compete with Google’s App Marketplace, Amazon is now taking on Apple with a launch today of a Mac Download Store. Amazon says that the store currently contains about 250 software and game titles.
That number is far fewer than the thousands of titles that were available at the launch of Apple’s App Store in January. But Amazon is already offering titles that you can’t find in Apple’s store – most importantly perhaps, Microsoft Office.
The rest of the selection in the new Mac Download Store focuses primarily on productivity and games titles. But despite boasting the Microsoft Office suite on its digital shelves, the Amazon store doesn’t have some of the popular titles that can be found in Apple’s App Store.
Much like other digital downloads from Amazon, the process requires installation of a special software downloader tool. Unlike apps purchased from the Apple App Store there are some more steps in the installation process. But as these purchases are part of your Amazon history, the titles are backed up in your Games and Software Library where you’ll be able to download them an unlimited number of times for personal use.
In order to lure customers to the store, Amazon is offering a $5 discount on any Mac download through June 1. The big trick, however, may be luring Apple software developers.
