Apple this week released some additional guidelines for its Mac App Store, including a ban on the submission of beta or trial apps, updated rules about file system usage, and suggestions for custom apps.
Apple started accepted submissions for its Mac App Store on November 3, and expects to open the store in the near future. Developers can use iTunes Connect to submit, manage, and check the status of their apps.
Those who want to add their creations to the Mac App Store should make sure that the apps are fully operational. "Your Web site is the best place to provide demos, trial versions, or betas of your software for customers to explore. The apps you submit to be reviewed for the Mac App Store should be fully functional, retail versions of your apps," Apple said in a note on its developer Web site.
Apple also said it will have file system usage requirements.
"To promote a more consistent user experience, Mac apps submitted to the App Store must write files in the appropriate location," the company said. "This avoids users being confused when applications store data in unexpected areas of the file system (e.g., storing databases in the user's Documents folder or storing files in the user's Library folder that are not recognizably associated with your application)."
More details are available on the developer site.
Finally, Apple said it will allow custom controls "provided that your element or behavior supports Apple's interface design principles."
"The Mac OS X Aqua user interface provides users with a consistent visual and behavioral experience across applications and the operating system, and provides an aesthetically refined use of color, transparency, and animation," Apple said.
More details are available on Apple's lengthy "Human Interface Design" document.
Apple announced plans for its Mac App Store at the October 20 "Back to the Mac" press event. It will be included in the upcoming Lion OS (slideshow below), set to be released next year, but Apple will also release a version for Snow Leopard sometime in the near future.
