Amazon launches the Mac Download Store

By Trevor Mogg May 26, 2011

Five months after Apple launched its own Mac App Store selling Mac-only software, Amazon has followed suit with the unveiling of its own similar store.

The opening of Amazon’s Mac Download Store, which happened with little fanfare but was picked up on by The Loop, is the first time that the company has brought all of its Mac software titles together under the same roof. And it’s wasting no time in getting down to business, offering many titles at a better price than found on Apple’s own Mac App Store.

To further entice customers, the e-commerce giant is offering the Airport Mania game for free through June 1 (usual price $6.99), as well as a $5 discount on any Mac game or software purchase, also through June 1. Interestingly, some big titles, such as Microsoft Office, are available in Amazon’s Mac Download Store but not in Apple’s Mac App Store. Amazon claims to have around 250 of the biggest software and games titles for the Mac in its new store.

According to The Loop, Amazon says the “Mac Download store features an install-less download process where the customer gets just the product without any unwanted extras, making for faster and easier purchases.”

Also, if a user finds that they need to reload an application for whatever reason, they can do so from Amazon servers for free, as they already own the software. Users of Apple’s Mac App Store can also do the same.

The word “app” is not mentioned on Amazon’s new store as the company no doubt wants to avoid provoking a response from Apple’s lawyers. The two companies are currently embroiled in a legal battle over Amazon’s use of the term “app store” for its Android Appstore. Apple is claiming “improper use” of the term whereas Amazon says it’s generic and so anyone can use it to describe a store selling apps.

Exactly how (or even if) Apple responds to Amazon’s latest offering, only time will tell.

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