Mac OS X Quicktime, OpenGL Enhancements Coming?

According to ThinkSecret, Apple is at work overhauling QuickTime and OpenGL components in Mac OS X in order to improve video and 3D performance. The site's sources reportedly claim that Apple is working hard to make sure that both enhancements are included with Mac OS 10.5 "Leopard", although they caution that the QuickTime enhancements may be pushed back beyond Leopard.

For QuickTime, Apple is reportedly building a new API which would deliver many of the improvements said to be included in the software. "While QuickTime from a end-users perspective is not expected to undergo any substantial improvements, the new API will take years of legacy QuickTime code and replace it with a more modern and efficient architecture to deliver improved performance and maintainability." The site claims that such an API would likely fall under Apple's "Core" mantra ("Core Video").

As for OpenGL, ThinkSecret reports that separate sources claim that substantial improvements are on track for Leopard's implementation of OpenGL which should enable Mac OS X to perform more on par with similarly configured PC systems, especially with respect to games.

Apple has been actively involved in implementing multi-threaded OpenGL, having introduced it in Mac OS 10.4.8 for Intel. PowerPC support for multi-threaded OpenGL should arrive with Leopard.