Apple tightens its grip on developers with Mac App Store

In the past I've often wondered whether the idea of one-stop "app stores" for software downloads might spread from smartphones to the PC desktop, and if that happened, whether it might have implications for software developers' freedom. I now have to hand it to Apple, not just for being the first to actually try this concept but for eliminating any lingering doubt.

Last week, Apple unveiled details of the next version of the Mac OS X operating system, named Lion, to debut next year. Among the new features announced was a Mac App Store, to be modeled after the iTunes App Store for iPhone and iPad apps. The store is expected to launch in mid-January and will be compatible with the current Mac OS X version, dubbed Snow Leopard.

Here's the kicker: To gain access to the Mac App Store, developers will have to register for Apple's Mac Developer Program, which costs $99 per year. In so doing, as with the iTunes App Store, they will have to agree to Apple's lengthy list of terms and restrictions. And this is where the fun begins.