Mac users can now quickly search for, buy and download applications for their Macs, the same way iPhone, iPod and iPad users do. It’s through the new Mac App Store, which is now available in the latest Snow Leopard update.
After updating Snow Leopard (Mac > Software Update) you’ll see the blue App Store icon in your application toolbar. Launching it will bring up a window where you can search, browse, buy and download apps. Just like with the iPhone and iPad, all purchases are made and managed through iTunes.
Many of the apps are…and have been…available separately through individual web sites, so at this point the app store is more of a search tool to help you find existing apps by categories. But over time it will become populated with plenty of apps only available in the app store.
A special note to developers: while Windows remains the dominant operating system in the world, Apple does own 90% of the market for computers costing $1,000+. That means in general, Mac users are more willing to spend money than Windows users. So if you’re interested in developing apps for this market, all the details are here.