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Two App Stores is one too many

June 7, 2011 FDX Reader, Rant

app storesWe got an email this morning from a guy — let’s call him Bob — who wanted to check out [FDX Reader](http://fdxreader.com), but couldn’t find it in the App Store. He was writing from Canada; was FDX Reader only available in the U.S. store?

Ryan assured him that yes, our app was available in Canada, and [sent him a link](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fdx-reader/id437362569?mt=8).

Bob wrote back:

> I see the app in the link you sent, but can’t access the app on the app store on my mac. See attached screen shot.

The screenshot was of the Mac App Store. FDX Reader is an iOS app, available for purchase through iTunes on the Mac or PC.

Bob had every reason to be confused.

On the iPad and iPhone, the way you get apps is in the App Store. Bob was clicking the equivalent icon on the Mac, expecting it to work the same way. That’s logical behavior.

Folks, we have a Highlander situation. There can only be one App Store.

If you’re on a Mac and click on the something called “App Store,” it should show you the iOS apps as well.

But what about iTunes? What about people on a PC?

Fine. Here’s a reasonable transition solution: have the Mac App Store show us the iOS apps, but when we go to purchase them, send us to the right page in iTunes and finish the transaction there.

Apple already has the button:

view in itunes

That’s what Apple shows you when looking at the [web version](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fdx-reader/id437362569?mt=8).

In the grand scheme, this should all be moot. Everything used to sync through iTunes, but now it’s all headed towards the cloud. It shouldn’t matter which app you use to buy stuff.

Amazon is happy to sell you things through any button you click in any of its apps or affiliate sites. Apple can do the same.

Related Posts

  1. Reading scripts on the iPad
  2. 10 Sundance shorts on iTunes
  3. Reading scripts on a MacBook, book-style

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