Apple May Plan to Move Software Off its Retail Store Shelves
Linked by fran on Tue 8th Feb 2011 18:08 UTC
Apple "A new report suggests that Apple may be planning to eliminate retail boxed software from its Apple Stores, instead focusing on promoting the Mac App Store for software sales. This is indeed a trend that Apple has been pushing for a while, but not all the software that Apple sells would necessarily be a great fit for pure digital distribution."
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RE[3]: Expected move
by rhavyn on Tue 8th Feb 2011 20:40 UTC in reply to "RE[2]: Expected move"
rhavyn
Member since:
2005-07-06

"2. How is Apple choosing to not stock boxed software in their stores have anything to do with the ipadification of anything? For the most part, the only boxed software in an Apple store is Apple's software, there is very little third party stuff. Have you been in an Apple store?

Quickly had a look, but when I look for Apple hardware I tend to prefer "premium resellers" as they are easier to access where I live.

From what I see there and at apple.com, Apple controls a large part of the Mac software market. If they enforce that all software under their control is only available through the Mac store system (and what's mentioned in this article are some steps in that direction), this means that the majority of Mac software will only be available by this mean, forcing users to get used to it whether they like it or not. "

First, at least from what I saw, this article was specifically about the Apple retail stores, not store.apple.com. Second, "all the software under their control," is the software developed by Apple. Everything available in a box at the Apple store is also available at, for example, Amazon. Unless you think Apple can stop Amazon from selling software, I'm not sure how Apple is forcing anyone from doing anything.

Afterwards, as the most commonly needed software and some other one is only available on the Mac Store, software distributed on CD or websites becomes the exception rather than the norm. Under customer pressure of lazy users who want all in one place and won't look elsewhere, remaining software ends up having a choice between putting a copy of their software on the Mac store too or disappearing.


Software on all operating systems is increasingly only going to be available through "Application Stores" specific for that operating system, specifically because it's more convenient for the customers. Calling people "lazy" because they don't do things the way you want them to is a quick way to lose your customers.

After a while, Apple declares that software distribution outside of the Mac Store is unsafe/legacy/helping piracy/whatever excuse they may come up with, and removes the ability to do this.

Net result : Apple gets 30% on every sale and absolute control on which apps mac users have access to. In short, ipadification.


Or they don't.

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