Introducing The Mac Developer Program
Friday, March 5, 2010 at 11:44AM | Print Article 
Today Apple introduced the new Mac Developer Program that replaces the existing ADC Premier, Select, and Student Memberships. The new Mac Developer Program offers a range of technical resources and support for developers and IT professionals innovating with Mac OS X, for a new price of $99 per year (approximately £65). This new price point is significantly more aggressive than the ADC membership which started at $499. So is this a great time to start developing for the Mac? Let's see what the new program has to offer:
Mac OS X Pre-Release Software - Pre-release software includes Mac OS, development tools, SDKs and more, enabling developers to begin incorporating the latest technologies into their development process, test for compatibility, and report bugs.
Technical Support - Personal technical support from highly qualified engineers with development expertise in the key Apple technologies. They are ready to offer direct one-on-one support troubleshooting issues, assistance to accelerate a project, or guidance to the right documentation and sample code.
Development Videos - Watch a wealth of technical content and insight from Apple engineers and experts through iTunes. Training includes tutorials on how to create feature-rich, engaging, and well designed applications. Also included are a collection of videos from past Apple Worldwide Developers Conferences which cover a range of fundamental concepts for developing with Mac OS X, including application technologies, graphics & media, development tools, and OS foundations.
Apple Developer Forums - An exclusive area for Mac developers to collaborate and share ideas/issues.
It would appear that the most significant change from the existing ADC membership is the loss of discounted Mac hardware and the OS X Server licence for testing. However the main Apple development tools such as Xcode remain free to download and use for everyone, irrespective of membership. If you are a current ADC member, you can continue to access your resources and benefits through the end of your membership year, when you will be switched over to the Apple Developer Program.
Some people are speculating that the release of the Mac Development Program, which closely resembles the iPhone Development Program, will result in the creation of a Mac App Store. Personally I am not convinced this is Apple's plan. Instead I believe they are simply trying to re-create the success of the iPhone development platform, by making it easier (and cheaper) for all potential Mac developers to gain access to quality development materials. Hopefully these changes will allow for even more amazing Mac applications to be created, whilst ensuring quality is guaranteed throughout the development process.