For some time now applications in the iTunes App Store have had the ability for users to "gift" apps, in other words buy apps for people they may know. This feature is very handy for giving small gifts or just helping out a friend. However, the same capabilities are not there for applications in the Mac App Store. 

I would expect that most users have not used the "Gift this app" feature in iTunes or on their iOS device much, as I admit I have only used it a couple times. It is a nice feature to have whether it is buying a small gift for a friend or helping your grandparents first setup their iPad with essential applications. It is something to get them started on getting used to using the App Store. 

When Apple announced that Mac OS X Lion would released to the Mac App Store I was more than excited, this was going to make it much easier for me to help my family make the upgrade to Lion. Some of the members in my family aren't as technological as I am, they don't use all the features of an operating system and therefore don't think they need to upgrade there OS. The same things have come up with previous Mac OS X releases, some of the family didn't want to take the time to upgrade. Being the person I am, I'm always willing to help them out. 

On the release date of Lion the first thing I did was download and install the upgrade on my Mac. After exploring the new operating system for a while I thought I would go and buy a few more copies for my family using the "gift" feature. Open up the Mac App Store and check out how Lion is now the first thing that is featured, click on it. Great it says Lion is installed, obviously, so I click that arrow to bring up the small options menu, all I see are "Copy link" and "Tell a friend." Unfortunately, there is no "Gift this app" option that I hoped to use. 

So now I sit here stuck at the moment, I don't know exactly how I am going to my Lion for my family. Since there is no install disc for sale I can't just send it to them like usual. One option is to just buy them iTunes or Mac App Store gift cards with the appropriate credit on them. If I do that I am afraid they may just use that credit for music or apps though. For right now, that may be my only option.

Right now this is a problem for me, but I am sure others have had the same experience. This wouldn't only help sales of Lion, it would benefit other application developers on the Mac App Store in the same way it benefits them for iOS devices. In addition this would be the easiest way for someone to buy an app for somebody else, giving them the same capabilities as in the iTunes App Store. 

I ask Apple, please make available a way to "gift" apps, or buy apps for somebody else. The way it is implemented into iTunes is perfect, I am sure the same way in the Mac App Store would be perfect as well. It would be a good thing for everyone, yourself [Apple], customers and developers. For now I'll wait and give it a while until I buy three $32.04 App Store gift cards.