Jay Freeman (a.k.a. @saurik) from the Jailbreak scene for IOS devices such as the iPhone and iPad was working on a Cydia Store for Mac 10 months ago but it has never emerged. Cult of Mac recently shared an article about Andrey Fedotov, a Russian programmer based in the United States, for a while now, he’s been working on an application called the “HackStore,” a Mac App Store-type OS X application for non-MAS apps. Could this be the Cydia for Mac app we’ve been waiting for?
It certainly sounds like this is the case. Fedotov argues that countless OS X applications will find a home in his HackStore, due to the limits Apple imposes on its Mac App Store ecosystem. Cult of Mac explains:
The HackStore (Andrey is open to name suggestions) will be a place for hosting content like third-party tweaks and programs, or to link directly to other developers’ websites. With the HackStore, power users will be able to easily browse and discover all the great apps that wouldn’t make it into the Mac App Store.
A user login won’t be required initially for downloading apps from the HackStore, but there will be a sidebar on the home page for developers to create an account and upload their packages. Everything will be free, but Andrey hopes to work with devs and offer paid apps and tweaks in the future.
The HackStore app itself is structured almost exactly like the Mac App Store. Everything users expect is already there: top charts, categories, featured content, search, promotional banners, and so on.
When you click an app, you’ll be able to read a description, look at screenshots, see user ratings and leave a review.
Sounds great, right? Here are a couple of screenshots:
iExplorer
Plex
Hopefully, the HackStore will be available in the coming months. As always, we’ll follow this story and update you if there are any more developments. In the meantime, let us know your thoughts on the HackStore in the comments.
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