As we're approaching a month milestone since the Mac App Store launch date on January 6-th, it's time to summarize what can be said about it at this point. All points twofold on what makes it similar to the iOS App Store and what differentiates it.

First, what is similar:

• It's obvious that Apple's intention was to provide the same comfort of iOS apps purchasing for the Mac app users.


• The interface is almost identical, it uses the same payment system as the iTunes store and so Mac users won't have to learn anything new about the way they can purchase Mac OSX applications.


• Apple controls the Mac App Store content pretty much the same way as it does with the iOS App Store. No matter what tech. pundits from both sides of the soup opera "Control vs. Freedom" have to say about Apple's approach, it does work better for both store users and developers than for the "open" model. Therefore it's safe to predict that the same model will work on the Mac App Store as well.


• Although the number of apps increases in a slower pace relatively to the iOS App Store it's due to the principle difference between the computer applications market for the Mac and mobile apps. When iOS App Store was launched there was no "There isn't an app for that" catchy phrase on a horizon, people didn't think of apps like we do now and so Apple really managed to fill this gap in the demand to increase mobile phone capabilities. From the other side there was and there is Mac OSX applications market and the Mac App Store does not and won't eliminate it. So taking into account this argument we can say that the Mac App Store grows with relatively the same speed as the iOS App Store.


• There are certain technical criteria for an app to meet the approval requirements and to be accepted to the store by Apple. The reasoning behind these restrictions is similar to the one on the iTunes App Store - security. Apps can't require a root access to work and can't launch background processes and so all backup or malware spiders are out of the equation at the moment.

What's different:

• There is no exclusivity for the Mac App Store, people still can and, perhaps for a long period of time, will be able to find and purchase applications outside the store. It's really up to each developer individually but there is a choice between doing business as usual, releasing your apps on the store plus to your current distribution channels, or going exclusively with your apps sale on the Mac App Store, just like PixelMator developers did earlier this month.


• At version 1.0 the store doesn't have uninstall function as it really makes a difference from the iOS App Store. When you uncheck a certain app in your iTunes app library, next time you sync your iOS device it gets a command to uninstall an app itself, the iTunes app doesn't manage this process. It's very likely that the Mac App Store application will handle an uninstall process once its developers  come up with a good way of doing it for future app revisions.


• It's really different from a developer perspective in terms of a business model. There are around 40 million Mac users in the world and lots of companies who develop for the Mac, right now all these companies have either adopted the new software distribution model and already do / will release their apps in the store, or still making up their minds on what will be more beneficial for them - doing business as usual or diving into the Mac App Store market like other companies do. And it's a factor that slows down the apps stream to the store.


• There is no such thing as the Mac App Store for Windows :-) At least for now, as apposed to the iTunes application, which is available for both Mac and PC users. Some tech. bloggers predict that there will be the Mac App Store equivalent for Windows machines but at this point there is nothing on a horizon.

If you haven't tried the Mac App Store yourself I strongly suggest you do, you need to install the latest Mac OSX 10.6.6 update and just click on an icon, which will be next to Finder app on your dock. It's that easy.