A Multi-Touch iPhone OS Layer On Top of Mac OS X?
In a NYTimes' blog post, Nick Bilton describes how PCs aren't as easy to use as the iPhone, and explores why the iPhone OS simply can't be used in a future iteration of Mac OS X.
Bilton quotes a former senior Apple engineer who explains that implementing global multi-touch support onto the existing Mac OS X would be a hard task. While Apple has added multi-touch features into a few apps, the whole OS simply wasn't designed for touch input. However, Bilton's source then raises the interesting possibility of adding iPhone OS as a layer on top of Mac OS X -- much like how Front Row presently works.
Front Row is Apple's media center software for the Mac which adopts an Apple TV-like interface. When invoked, the entire Mac OS X desktop fades out, leaving a TV-friendly navigation system that looks nothing like Mac OS X. What's been suggested is that Apple could adopt a iPhone OS layer that would greatly simplify tasks for some users. Now, it's not clear if this was actually something Apple had been actively exploring or if it was just presented as speculative option by Bilton's source, but we felt it was an interesting topic of discussion.
Apple's iPad has been felt to represent this shift to an easier computing paradigm. The iPad is essentially the iPhone OS on a larger form factor, but it's that larger size that introduces new possibilities that encroach on the functionality of current desktop/notebooks.
Bilton quotes a former senior Apple engineer who explains that implementing global multi-touch support onto the existing Mac OS X would be a hard task. While Apple has added multi-touch features into a few apps, the whole OS simply wasn't designed for touch input. However, Bilton's source then raises the interesting possibility of adding iPhone OS as a layer on top of Mac OS X -- much like how Front Row presently works.
Front Row is Apple's media center software for the Mac which adopts an Apple TV-like interface. When invoked, the entire Mac OS X desktop fades out, leaving a TV-friendly navigation system that looks nothing like Mac OS X. What's been suggested is that Apple could adopt a iPhone OS layer that would greatly simplify tasks for some users. Now, it's not clear if this was actually something Apple had been actively exploring or if it was just presented as speculative option by Bilton's source, but we felt it was an interesting topic of discussion.
Apple's iPad has been felt to represent this shift to an easier computing paradigm. The iPad is essentially the iPhone OS on a larger form factor, but it's that larger size that introduces new possibilities that encroach on the functionality of current desktop/notebooks.
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26 months ago
Hmmm.... It appeared that Apple had started a new or more intense relationship with the NY Times behind the scenes as it was doing its iPad work. Does Nick Bilton have some inside knowledge that he is "leaking" to drive Apple in a certain direction or allow Apple a "leaked" source to get some more chatter?
They don't have much for people to talk about right now in some ways.
This could be an interesting start!!
The fun starts anew...
They don't have much for people to talk about right now in some ways.
This could be an interesting start!!
The fun starts anew...
26 months ago
I already replied to the post on the Times site hours ago. While running on top of OS X would be fine (think of what At Ease was for kids to make things simpler), REPLACING OSX would be out of the question. If you read the actual article, you will see that the full meaning of it was asking why computers can't be just like the iPhone OS.
26 months ago
I love Apple products but really hate the direction they are taking lately. OS X just like Windows Platform should be able to accommodate for tablet style OS, but Apple is being lazy here. A pen like device + Multitouch features on top of OS X would be really nice. Think of the ModBook, I'm really tempted to buy one because I really need a simple handheld solution where I can input data and notes while I walk with clients, just like a paper notepad. Why is it so hard for Apple to innovate lately?
26 months ago
not too stoked on this. How many different OSs does the mac need?
It wouldn't be a different OS, it would be a different mode of it, like Front Row is a different mode of OSX. Did you read the article?:confused:
26 months ago
What exactly is this "easier computing paradigm?" As it is, I can control my computer with 4-5 inches of mouse movement of from the 3 inch touchpad. I'm trying to grasp how touching all over a 13-27 inch surface is "easier." Big buttons doesn't mean easier.
26 months ago
It wouldn't be a different OS, it would be a different mode of it, like Front Row is a different mode of OSX. Did you read the article?:confused:
It's no more an os mode than iTunes is. Front Row is simply a full-screen app, not an OS. Can you create files?
26 months ago
What exactly is this "easier computing paradigm?" As it is, I can control my computer with 4-5 inches of mouse movement of from the 3 inch touchpad. I'm trying to grasp how touching all over a 13-27 inch surface is "easier." Big buttons doesn't mean easier.
Direct and intuitive manipulation of data. Things like scrolling with momentum make sense. It's interaction with digital content as if they are physical, a HUGE shift in paradigm.
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