Previously developers could submit paid and proprietary apps to Ubuntu Software Centre via MyApps section in developer.ubuntu.com.
However, the new software centre in Ubuntu 16.04 does not support installation of such apps. Also, the updates uploaded to MyApps portal are not being accepted and packaged anymore.
Does that mean paid and proprietary apps being discontinued?
No. Why? Snaps.
There are two key points here. This paragraph from the announcement of inclusion of snaps in 16.04:
Developers of paid apps have often been the most frustrated with having to manage dependencies and compatibility with various libraries, especially on older releases of Ubuntu. For this reason these applications are going to be migrated from debs to snaps by Autumn 2016. Canonical will work with the developer community to support that transition in the coming months with tools, training and documentation.
And one of the reasons why they replaced Ubuntu Software Centre with GNOME Software:
“We are more confident in our ability to add support for Snaps to GNOME Software Centre (sic) than we are to Ubuntu Software Centre. And so, right now, it looks like we will be replacing [the USC] with GNOME Software Centre”, explains Ubuntu desktop manager Will Cooke at the Ubuntu Online Summit.
Related feature requests on:
