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When Apple announced the Mac App Store back on October 20, they said it would become available within 90 days. We’re nowhere near that mark, but Mac OS X 10.6.6, which is chock full o’ store dependencies, has been seeded to some developers as the golden master. Did the mothership under promise in order to over deliver or is a closed beta about to begin?

Steve Jobs’ announcement of the Mac App Store, with so many questions unanswered, has generated a lot excitement and not a little controversy. However, the question of timing could be answered sooner than expected.

A MacRumors write up states that Mac OS X 10.6.6 [10J537] has been seeded to developers just four weeks after the first beta.

Interestingly, we’ve been told that the new build is being listed as a golden master version for those accessing it through the Mac App Store developer program. The designation would suggest that Apple is preparing to release this version to the public in the near future. The listing for regular Mac developers not participating in the Mac App Store aspect of the program appears, however, to not carry any mention of it being a golden master build.

That said, the Mac App Store is known to have Mac OS X 10.6.6 dependencies, including “support for fetching and renewing App Store receipts.”

With the split nature of the golden master designation and still about six weeks to go be Apple’s 90-day deadline, it seems reasonable to assume that Mac OS X 10.6.6′s release isn’t imminent. Perhaps a closed Mac App Store beta is at hand…

What’s your take?