While the entire Mac world anxiously awaits this summer’s anticipated release of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, rumors are surfacing that Apple may switch to a new kind of digital distribution for its OS upgrades, namely the Mac App Store.
The Mac App Store is available to all users running the most recent version of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, and, according to AppleInsider, will become the primary method for obtaining an upgrade to Lion. AppleInsider cites “people familiar with the matter,” of course, because that’s the way things go.
From AppleInsider:
While the Mac App Store will be the preferred method for installing Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, set for release this summer, it’s logical to presume that Apple will also offer an optical disc for people who may not have broadband. At least person with knowledge of the situation claims that this will indeed be the case “for those with slower connections, or [for those who for whatever reason do] not want to download it.
It’s likely that Apple will reveal the answer to this new question, among many other questions about Lion, at this years WWDC, held in San Francisco from June 6-10. Apple has strongly indicated this year’s conference will showcase the “future” of the Mac operating system.
AppleInsider cites several reasons why they think Lion will be distributed via the Mac App Store, including that pre-release builds are already being distributed this way, it will make things easier for users of the MacBook Air, that it will allow for Apple to do away with SuperDrives (They state that the removal of the SuperDrive from MacBooks is due in the next 12-18 months), and the fact that Apple has been limiting shelf space for software already.
What are your thoughts? As always, we welcome and encourage you to sound off in the comments.
