The Mac App Store: Where's the Beef (or Seitan)?

ByMike Moffit

Apple launched their Snow Leopard (v10.6.6) exclusive Mac App Store over a week ago, and were instantly met with an incredible reception. So incredible in fact, that over one million apps were downloaded in the store’s first 24 hours. While some of the immediate hype surrounding the store’s opening has since faded, or been squashed by the Verizon iPhone 4, I still find myself browsing its virtual shelves on an almost daily basis.

Last evening, as I cruised through the top paid and top free Mac apps, it struck me that not much has changed in terms of content during the store’s first week. While the iOS App Store certainly didn’t acquire all of its quality apps overnight, my expectations were a bit higher for its OS X equivalent. Apple and other developers have had over two years to watch the iOS app store flourish, monitor purchasing trends, and develop new apps accordingly. Though several long running Mac staples have been released as apps, many just as commonly used programs are strangely absent. The following list contains several of the apps, which despite their popularity, are not yet available in the Mac App Store.

Web Browsers and Internet:

System Utilities:

Media:

When Steve Jobs explained Mac OS X 10.7 Lion and the Mac App Store as a synthesis of OS X and iOS, I anticipated the latter would bring about desktop versions of many iOS mainstays. While any and all of the following could easily be released in the coming weeks, it was a bit disappointing not seeing any available at the store’s launch. A few iOS apps which I feel would do well on OS X are:

Netflix:

In the past year, Netflix has broadened support for its “Watch Instantly” library of titles to almost every current electronic device conceivable. While some may already own an Apple TV or game console capable of streaming Netflix, I’m sure no one would object to a sleek Netflix app for Mac, which one could navigate with an Apple Remote.

Pandora

Desktop Pandora support can be achieved in one way or another, but no app handles it particularly well. Pandora Boy for instance, doesn’t deliver an optimal experience, and even the add-on for Plex is essentially a zoomed in version of Pandora’s site. A ‘Pandora for iPad’ styled app to supplement iTunes would likely be very popular as a Mac app.

Facebook

Twitter proved the social networking experience could translate to the desktop with Twitter for Mac. In many ways, it only makes sense for Facebook to follow suit, at least in some capacity. A well designed desktop version of the popular social network would afford a unique, and presumably more streamlined, user experience.

iBooks

This week, Amazon launched a version of Kindle for Mac in the Mac App Store. While most would typically choose an iPad or Kindle before deciding to read at length on their computers, Apple’s insistence that iBooks stay limited to iOS devices seems like a strange business move. Giving users the ability to read iBooks on a larger display would not only diversify the platform, but would enable Apple to stay competitive with Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Games

While several iOS favorites have already made the jump to OS X–I’m looking at you Angry Birds–many developers haven’t shown tremendous interest in porting their successful iOS titles. imagine Super Mega Worm running at 60fps on a 27-in iMac? Yes please!

I realize that all of the aforementioned applications/services require only a quick trip online to use or download, but the Mac App Store simplifies the installation and update process to the point where it’s tough to go back. Hopefully the developers behind these popular iOS and web apps will see the potential of the Mac App Store, and port their software to it in the near future.

What are your first impressions of the Mac App Store? Comment below and let us know!

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