14 DAY TRIAL // Apple’s Dev Center has been updated to include some changes regarding price, benefits and new terms and conditions. Formerly starting at $499/year, the new Mac developer program is attractively priced at just $99 now. iPhone developers enrolled with Apple are required to update their profiles, take a survey and agree to new terms.
“We recently introduced a new Mac Developer Program that replaces ADC Premier, Select, and Student Memberships,” Apple states. “If you are a current ADC member, you can continue to access your resources and benefits through the end of your membership year.”
TUAW, whose editor is also an enrolled Apple developer, weighs in on the enrollment benefits saying they now include Mac OS X pre-release software, access to development videos, access to the developer forums, and code-level technical support.
“Receiving pre-release Mac OS X software is an exclusive benefit for all Mac Developer Program members and allows developers to begin incorporating the latest technologies into their development process, test for compatibility, and report bugs,” Apple says, addressing future Mac OS X testers.
Apple has also thrown in two tech support incidents per year. Additional ones can be purchased on demand. However, although the price to enroll with Apple’s Mac dev program is substantially smaller, some high ticket items have been pulled, the same Apple developer points out. Those include Mac hardware discounts, WWDC tickets for premiere members, and the compatibility labs.
The Apple Developer website itself is also more attractive now. Visitors are greeted with the same kind of tidiness as found on the “subordinated” iPhone Dev Center, with the three main centers being listed one under the other (iPhone Dev Center; Mac Dev Center; Safari Dev Center). The site now includes a slideshow-style preview on the right side of the main page. It promotes the benefits of becoming an enrolled Apple dev.