Apple: Over 3,000 apps available for X


Apple has announced at the annual World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) that since the September preview of OS X version 10.1, the number of native Mac OS X applications has more than doubled to over 3,000.

Since its launch in March 2001, the appeal of Mac OS X has led to more than 100 percent growth in Apple's developer community. In fact, more than 46 percent of Apple Developer Connection members are UNIX or Java programmers. Over three million Macs with Mac OS X preloaded have shipped to date, making Apple the number one supplier of UNIX-based systems in the world.

"Mac OS X is bringing thousands of new developers to the Mac platform, including a large number from the UNIX and Java communities," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "Now with Jaguar's innovative technologies, such as Quartz Extreme, QuickTime 6 and Rendezvous, developers can create amazing applications that can't even be imagined on other platforms."

The next major version of Mac OS X is code named Jaguar and will be available in late summer 2002. Today Mac developers received a preview copy of Jaguar that includes iChat, Apple's new AIM- compatible instant messaging software; QuickTime 6, the complete MPEG-4 and AAC audio streaming solution; Rendezvous, Apple's proposed new industry standard for dynamic discovery of computers and devices over IP networks; Address Book, the new system-wide database for managing contacts; an enhanced Finder with spring-loaded folders and integrated instant searching; Sherlock 3, an all-new version with several new innovative "channels;" Quartz Extreme, the hardware accelerated Quartz graphics and compositing engine; and advances to UNIX tools and technology and Windows compatibility.

Analysis: "...developers received a preview copy" -- this means that copies began appearing on various file sharing services last night. Apple knows this has happened. In fact, I would be highly surprised if they weren't relying on this large and unofficial "beta" seeding to uncover bugs, etc.

Will you be taking advantage of Apple's unofficial non-developer seeding of Jaguar?