Having recently launched an already successful App Store for the Mac back in January, it seems that Apple’s future plans may be to eliminate boxed software from its retail stores completely, encouraging users to take advantage of the Mac App Store’s digital software distribution model.
The Cupertino company already has plans to point Mac users towards the Mac App Store in its upcoming ‘Personal Setup’ service for customers buying a new Mac. The service will help new Mac users setup up their computer and will introduce them to the OS X operating system, and of course the Mac App Store:
When you purchase a Mac at an Apple Retail store an employee will help you setup your e-mail accounts, walk you through the Mac App Store, setup an iTunes account for you, and show you the basic pointers of owning a Mac. Some stores will even have dedicated Mac setup stations.
Of course, Apple is going to do everything it can to ensure its new Mac App Store is a success, and by removing boxed software from its retail stores and showing customers how to access it digitally, the company is certainly going the right way about promoting the service.
Every time you purchase software through the Mac App Store, a little bit of the money you paid goes to Apple, but additional revenue isn’t the only reason why the company will want the Mac App Store to succeed. By removing boxed software from its retails stores it’s making room for more products such as iPhone, iPad, and iPod accessories which are more profitable than third-party software.
It’s not clear at this point how Apple will handle sales of highly popular software like Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Office, which aren’t currently available through the Mac App Store, however, it may be that it won’t be able to eliminate boxed software from its retail stores entirely.
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