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Amazon Challenges Apple With Mac App Store
CWmike writes "Amazon launched a Mac-specific application download store on Thursday that will compete with Apple's nearly five-month-old Mac App Store. The new subsection of Amazon's massive online store, dubbed 'Mac Software Downloads,' kicked off quietly Thursday. Amazon has long offered software downloads for both Windows and Mac customers, but this was the first time that the company called out its Mac-centric 'store.' The retailer, however, apparently did not want to goad Apple into another legal battle by mimicking its rival's 'App Store' moniker: The two companies are already in court over Amazon's 'Appstore for Android,' which Apple claims violates its trademark. Unlike the Mac App Store, which Apple opened in early January, Amazon's includes the popular Office for Mac line from Microsoft."
Apple's App Store provides a centralized update mechanism. Amazon's store is just a website.
Mac users have been able to download software from websites ever since the first modem became available for the Mac. This has never been a problem for Apple, so why start now? Not saying it's impossible, but IMO very unlikely.
Apple provoked this. Apple released a tablet and is trying to do with books what it did with music via iTunes. Google has also provoked this. Amazon is smart enough to not sit around selling paperbacks to college kids.
Nobody really thinks about Amazon as a powerhouse. They always look like the underdog. But, they are the undisputed kings of online sales. They may not really know tablets, even though the kindle is wildly successful. They may not know personal computers. But they do know online sales and they definitely know software. Between their search algorithms which are arguably the best ever based on user data and their datacenters, they have an extremely powerful base to move into the Web 3.0 space of SaaS.
They've been selling online content successfully via the kindle. They understand wireless sync, cloud, and 1-click sales. They also know how to work with publishers on par with Apple's dealings with the music industry. So, rather than bashing them as a late comer, Google and Apple had better show it a little respect. It quite possibly may be the leader in this game. And if Apple ignores their direction and momentum, like RIM ignored Apple for so long, Apple will find itself trapped in an Amazon walled garden.
If Apple is a design genius, Amazon is a sales & distribution genius. This looks to be a wonderful match up!
I8-D
It's just a disk image (DMG). The closest thing in the Linux/Windows world is the .ISO. However, unlike Windows, disk image mounting is built into the system as shipped by Apple. If you double click a DMG it just mounts. You can even create your own disk images that are encrypted (like True Crypt).
A ton of software for the Mac comes on DMGs. It makes copying install CDs rather easy on the Mac. It gets a real /dev/ device, to software it doesn't know if it's on a disk image or a real DVD.
All it sounds like is Amazon is a payment processor and providing bandwidth.
there are many hints in the upcoming Lion version of the OS of a further tilt towards the iOS look and feel. With iTunes offering the Mac App store and following the same model as used for iDevices it is not hard to imagine that OS X changes enough to where it requires "FOR SECURITY PURPOSES" that you use only iTunes to load software onto your Mac and "JAILBROKEN" Macs will not be eligible.
I know, they can't force people to upgrade to that version of the OS. Sure they can't directly, but indirectly they will. They will add features to the mac that people want as well as exploit the mindset that exist in the Apple community.
I think my iMac is great but I am getting closer each day to believing it is the last Mac I will ever buy.
* Winners compare their achievements to their goals, losers compare theirs to that of others.