Add Element Desktop for Mac to App Store

[3nprob]

Your use case

What would you like to do?

Introduce non-technical Mac users to Matrix

Why would you like to do it?

The only way to communicate via Matrix for users on Intel-based Macs today is via brew, manually downloading and installing a dmg, or via web. The app in the AppStore is only available for M1-based macs. Currently available distribution methods is a non-option for most non- or even semi-technical users.

Have you considered any alternatives?

• Other clients: None available AFAICT
• brew: not an option for non-technical users
• Manually downloading and installing a dmg: not an option for non-technical users
• Current AppStore app: Not available for Intel Macs or older versions of OS X

Additional context

Related issue for Windows: vector-im/element-desktop#651

[t3chguy]

Would require encryption re-export compliance docs https://help.apple.com/app-store-connect/#/devc3f64248f

[ara4n]

This came up again in the context of https://blog.koehntopp.info/2024/02/13/the-matrix-trashfire.html.

Pros:

• More people seem to reach for the AppStore on macOS when they want to install something, and it makes it easier for people to find the app (and not get confused and install the Element X iPad app instead)

Cons:

• We have to maintain another distribution mechanism beyond DMGs distributed via https://packages.element.io/desktop/install/index.html
• We have to mess around with AppStore reviews and Apple, including re-export compliance on E2EE crypto.

I find it interesting that this has only been upvoted 4 times - how desired really is it?

[nathanael-h]

I find it interesting that this has only been upvoted 4 times - how desired really is it?

A short comment about this: only people with github account would thumb up this issue, thus we can think that they are OK with installing Element as is, from DMG. On the contrary, non-tech people, who are very used to the Mac AppStore, probably won't come here. I mean people like my family, my non-tech coworkers, or @krille-chan parents' :green_apple:

[dwt]

@ara4n : I would also like to argue that less technically engaged people will never speak up here. My experience has been that it is easy to get people going on matrix - for exactly as long as I sit beside them and help them with the many breaking points that Köhntopp has so expertly listed.

Thus, this is one of the many small improvements that need to happen to get rid of those breaking points.