As planned, Apple has officially opened the doors of its Mac App Store today with around 1,000 free and paid apps. The store will be available to Snow Leopard users only through the Mac OS X 10.6.6 update, which you can get right now either by using the Mac’s built-in Software Update or via a download from Apple’s Website.

The software itself will appear on the dock as a standalone application rather than being within iTunes like its iOS counterpart, but both function much in the same way: you buy apps with one click using your iTunes ID and password, they’re are downloaded, installed automatically and placed in the dock. All the same chart for top free, paid, and top-grossing apps as well as categories are available so you can browse these lists and discover new software.


The idea is to bring the same streamlined process of purchasing, downloading and updating software from iOS devices to the Mac. For developers that want to sell their wares in Apple’s official venue the same 70/30 revenue split will apply. Some popular iOS games like Angry Birds have already been ported to the new store, while Apple’s own iWork and iLife apps are of course there as well as apps from vendors such as AutoDesk, Evernote, Omni Group, and others.