Mac App Store facts for kids
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| Developer(s) | Apple |
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| Initial release | January 6, 2011 |
| Operating system | macOS |
| Type | Digital distribution and software update |
The Mac App Store is a special online shop for macOS apps. It's like a digital store where you can find and download apps for your Mac computer. Apple created and runs this store. It was first announced in October 2010. Apple started letting app creators send in their apps in November 2010. This was to get ready for the store's big launch.
The Mac App Store officially opened on January 6, 2011. It came as a free update for people using Mac OS X 10.6.6 (also known as Snow Leopard). Just one day after it launched, Apple said that people had downloaded over one million apps!
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How Apps Get on the Mac App Store
Just like the App Store for iPhones and iPads, Apple sets the rules for the Mac App Store. App creators, called developers, need to be part of the Apple Developer Program. This program costs money each year.
Apps must be approved by Apple before they can be sold in the store. Apple checks each app carefully. They want to make sure apps are safe and work well.
What Kinds of Apps Are Not Allowed?
Apple has rules about what apps can and cannot be in the store. Here are some types of apps that Apple usually doesn't allow:
- Apps that change how your Mac looks or works in a big way.
- Apps that don't follow Apple's design rules for how apps should look and feel.
- Apps that look too much like Apple's own apps, like Finder or iTunes.
- Apps that are too similar to other apps already in the Mac App Store.
- Apps that have inappropriate content.
- Apps that install special parts that change your Mac's core system.
- Apps that offer content or services that expire quickly.
- Apps that don't work on the newest version of macOS.
- Test versions of software, like beta or demo apps.
- Apps that use brand names they don't have permission for.
- Apps that use certain types of free software licenses that don't work with the App Store rules.
- Apps that use old or outdated software parts.
- Apps that are not "sandboxed" (meaning they can't access parts of your computer they don't need).
- Apps that are not built for 64-bit computers (most modern Macs are 64-bit).
- Apps that contain harmful computer code, like malware.
Apple also gives apps age ratings, just like movies or video games. This helps parents know if an app is right for their child. You can even block certain apps in your Mac's settings.
How Apple Uses the Mac App Store
Since the Mac App Store opened, Apple has used it more and more to give people their own software. They started selling fewer boxed versions of their programs in stores. For example, OS X Lion, released in July 2011, was the first version of macOS that you could only download from the App Store. Before that, you could buy it on a DVD. Now, all new macOS versions are downloaded from the Mac App Store.
Apple also changed how it shared other software. They removed their old "Downloads" section from their website. Now, they link directly to the Mac App Store for most software. However, some older updates and special extensions are still available on Apple's support website.
Fake Apps in the Store
Sometimes, fake apps can appear in the Mac App Store. For example, a game developer named Wolfire Games put their game, Lugaru, in the store. But then they found a fake copy of their game also being sold for a much lower price.
The developer told Apple about the fake app. After a few days, Apple removed the fake game from the store. This made some people wonder how a fake app could get past Apple's checks in the first place.
History of the Mac App Store
The Mac App Store launched with over 1,000 apps on January 6, 2011. Many popular apps were available, including Apple's own programs like iWork '09 and iLife '11. There were also popular games like Angry Birds that came from the iPhone App Store. Most of the apps were in the Games category. Angry Birds was the most popular paid app on the first day.
When OS X Mountain Lion came out, the Mac App Store had a fun secret. If you downloaded an app and quickly went to your app folder before it finished, you would see the app's creation date as "January 24, 1984, at 2:00 AM." This is the date the very first Macintosh computer went on sale!
In November 2015, some apps bought from the Mac App Store stopped working. Users got error messages and had to delete and re-download their apps. It turned out there was a problem with an expired security certificate. Apple later explained the issue to developers and helped fix it.
In December 2015, Phil Schiller, a senior leader at Apple, took over the responsibility for the App Store. Before that, Eddy Cue was in charge.
On January 1, 2018, Apple announced that new apps submitted to the Mac App Store had to be 64-bit. By June 1, 2018, all existing apps in the store also needed to be updated to 64-bit. This helps apps run faster and better on newer Macs.
In June 2018, Apple announced a new look for the App Store. This new version came with macOS Mojave. It included new sections like "Create," "Work," "Play," and "Develop" to help people find apps more easily. It also had a "Discover" tab with app suggestions from Apple's editors.
See also
In Spanish: App Store (macOS) para niños
- List of Mac software
- Microsoft Store, a similar app store for Windows computers
