Mac App Store facts for kids
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| Developer(s) | Apple |
|---|---|
| Initial release | January 6, 2011 |
| Operating system | macOS |
| Type | Digital distribution and software update |
The Mac App Store is an online store where you can find and download apps for macOS computers. It was created by Apple Inc. and is managed by them. Apple first announced the Mac App Store on October 20, 2010. Developers could start sending in their apps on November 3, 2010.
The Mac App Store officially opened on January 6, 2011. It came as a free update for people using Mac OS X Snow Leopard. In just 24 hours, over one million apps were downloaded from the store!
How Apps Get on the Store
Just like the App Store for iPhones and iPads, Apple controls what apps appear on the Mac App Store.
To put an app on the store, a developer must be part of the Apple Developer Program. This program costs money each year. Apple must approve all apps before they can be downloaded from the store.
Apple has rules for what kind of apps are allowed. Some apps that are not allowed include:
- Apps that change how macOS looks or works in a major way.
- Apps that don't follow Apple's design rules.
- Apps that look too much like Apple's own products, like Finder or iTunes.
- Apps that are too similar to other apps already on the store.
- Apps that install special parts of software that Apple doesn't allow.
- Apps that offer content or services that expire quickly.
- Apps that don't work on the newest version of macOS.
- Test versions of software.
- Apps that use brand names without permission.
- 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- Apps that use old or outdated software parts.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." This means they can't access parts of your computer they don't need.
- Apps that are not built for 64-bit computers (this rule started in 2018).
- Apps that contain harmful computer code.
Apple also gives age ratings to apps based on their content. This helps parents decide if an app is right for their child. You can block apps based on these ratings in your macOS settings.
How Apple Uses the Store
Since the Mac App Store opened, Apple has used it more and more to give out its own software. They used to sell their software in boxes at their retail stores.
For example, OS X Lion (released in 2011) was the first version of macOS that wasn't sold on DVDs. You could only download it from the Mac App Store. Later, Apple also offered it on a USB stick or as a download at Apple Stores. Starting with OS X Mountain Lion, new macOS versions could only be downloaded from the Mac App Store.
Apple also changed how it shared other software. They removed their "Downloads" section from their website and replaced it with links to the Mac App Store. However, some older downloads, like security updates, are still available on Apple's support website.
Fake Apps
Sometimes, fake apps have appeared on the Mac App Store. For example, a game developer named Wolfire Games put their game, Lugaru, on the store. Later, they found a fake copy of their game being sold for a much lower price.
The developer told Apple about the fake app. After a few days, Apple removed the fake game. Many people wondered how a fake app could get past Apple's approval process in the first place.
History of the Store
The Mac App Store started with over 1,000 apps on January 6, 2011. These included Apple's own apps like iWork '09 and iLife '11. Many popular apps from iPhones and iPads, like Angry Birds, also came to the Mac App Store. Most of the first apps were games. Angry Birds was the most popular paid app on the first day.
In 2013, an interesting hidden feature, called an Easter egg, was found in the Mac App Store. If you started downloading an app and then quickly went to your app folder, the app's creation date would show as "January 24, 1984, at 2:00 AM." This is the date the first Macintosh computer went on sale! This was special because Apple's founder, Steve Jobs, had banned Easter eggs in Apple software back in 1997.
On November 11, 2015, many apps bought from the Mac App Store stopped working. Users saw error messages and had to delete and re-download their apps. It turned out that a security certificate had expired. Apple later explained the issue to developers and fixed most of the problems.
On December 17, 2015, Phil Schiller, an important person at Apple, took over leading the App Store. Before that, another Apple executive named 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. Older 32-bit apps already on the store had to be updated to 64-bit by June 1, 2018. This change made apps run better and faster.
On June 4, 2018, Apple announced a new look for the App Store. This new design came with macOS Mojave. It added new sections like "Create," "Work," "Play," and "Develop" to help users find apps more easily. It also had a "Discover" tab with app recommendations from Apple's own editors.
See also
In Spanish: App Store (macOS) para niños
- List of Mac software
- Microsoft Store, a similar app store for Windows computers
