Mac App Store to Launch on Thursday, 9 a.m. PST
The Mac App Store is supposed to open for business on Thursday (Jan. 6), offering a wide array of software for Mac users to browse and download immediately just like they can in the iPhone app store.
Industry sources indicate that the Mac App Store will launch as soon as the work day begins on the west coast, 9 a.m. PST or 12 p.m. EST. There's no definite indication yet of consumer interest for Mac apps, so it's hard to predict how hard the Mac App Store will be hit by traffic. However, many Mac users will be stopping by to see what's available.
When the Mac App Store was officially announced in Oct. 2010, Apple CEO Steve Jobs promised it would open within 90 days. The Jan. 6 launch date is in time to fulfill that promise, but Apple hasn't said just how many apps will be available at launch or how many apps have made it through the submission process since the announcement.
It's well known that Apple will sell its own software, such as the iLife and iWork suites of apps, through the new Mac App Store. If early screenshots are to be believed, Apple software will even be significantly cheaper through the Mac App Store, which is yet another incentive for buyers to use it. In order for the Mac App Store to receive the same popularity Apple has seen for iPhone apps, many outside developers will need to submit apps and price them competitively.
