Mac App Store Coming Next Week [RUMOR]

Apple's application store for Macs may be coming on Monday, December 13, according to Appletell, which cites an inside source.

Steve Jobs insisted on an early launch of the Mac App Store, perhaps to take advantage of the holiday shopping fever, the source said. A December 6 launch was also considered, but Appletell's source thinks it's far more likely that the launch will happen early next week. Apple has made no official announcements about the launch, except that the store will open this winter.

We've discussed the upsides and downsides of offering desktop software to consumers through an app store at length. Software developers we spoke to think it would be a mistake not to participate in the app store, but API restrictions and the impossibility of setting up upgrade pricing for products are causes for concern.