Mac App Store launches January 6 2011

By Chris Davies/Dec. 16, 2010 7:46 am EST

Apple has announced that the Mac App Store will launch on January 6 2011. The new download store for OS X machines is the company's attempt to bring mobile iOS apps to the desktop, and will be available in 90 countries at launch. It will feature paid and free apps in categories like Education, Games, Graphics & Design, Lifestyle, Productivity and Utilities.

What the Mac App Store won't have is any support for app trials, demos, or betas. Apple is also launching the download store – at least initially – without support for in-app payments or Game Center.

Still, it's likely to be a popular new way to get OS X software, when it arrives in 10.6 Lion's Software Update tool on January 6 next year.

Press Release:

Apple's Mac App Store to Open on January 6
CUPERTINO, California—December 16, 2010—Apple® today announced that the Mac® App Store℠ will open for business on Thursday, January 6. By bringing the revolutionary App Store experience to Mac OS® X, the Mac App Store makes discovering, installing and updating Mac apps easier than ever. The Mac App Store will be available in 90 countries at launch and will feature paid and free apps in categories like Education, Games, Graphics & Design, Lifestyle, Productivity and Utilities.

"The App Store revolutionized mobile apps," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "We hope to do the same for PC apps with the Mac App Store by making finding and buying PC apps easy and fun. We can't wait to get started on January 6."

The Mac App Store lets you browse new and noteworthy apps, find out what's hot, view staff favorites, search categories and read customer ratings and reviews. Like on iPhone®, iPod touch® and iPad™, you can purchase, download and install apps in just one click and start using them immediately. Purchased apps can run on all of your personal Macs and updates are delivered directly through the Mac App Store so it's easy to keep all of your apps up to date. The Mac App Store is available to Mac OS X Snow Leopard® users as a free download through Software Update.

Mac developers set the price for their apps, keep 70 percent of the sales revenue, are not charged for free apps and do not have to pay hosting, marketing or credit card fees. To find out more about developing for the Mac App Store visit developer.apple.com/programs/mac.