Apple's Next Operating System - game changer?

[surferfromuk]

So far I've seen zero discussion about Apple's next OS X iteration.

Anyone got any juice on it yet?

It would seem to me that they can't simply add more gizmo's to Leopard so I am expecting it to be stuffed full of mind-blowing star-trekian multi-touch goodness and to be released in concert with a compliment of dazzling new game changing hardware and fully re-developed complimentary ilife/iwork and pro apps - but when should we expect this ?

June 2009 would be 18 months or so from Leopard and a seriously good way to end the decade...

Is that overly ambitious?

How far ahead of Leopard did we begin to get 'teasers' ? Was it a year?

 

[Blue Velvet]

How far ahead of Leopard did we begin to get 'teasers' ? Was it a year?

Some time ago, I looked at when the first Leopard rumours appeared in relation to Tiger's release date, and for some forgotten reason, worked out that the first whisperings might be heard around April/May this year in regards to its name. Please take this post with a few barrels, not pinches, of salt.

 

[Cromulent]

It would seem to me that they can't simply add more gizmo's to Leopard so I am expecting it to be stuffed full of mind-blowing star-trekian multi-touch goodness and to be released in concert with a compliment of dazzling new game changing hardware and fully re-developed complimentary ilife/iwork and pro apps - but when should we expect this ?

Is that overly ambitious?

Apple just do not have the resources to do that. The fact that they had to delay Leopard to get the iPhone completed was an indication that they are already pushing things with their current staffing levels. The next OS X will be released on it's own with the new Apple apps being released as time goes on. Much like happened with the Leopard release.

I'm not really sure where Apple are going at the moment except for more integration between desktops / notebooks / iPods and iPhones.

I have not heard any rumours at all. I think it is far too early. Expect to start hearing things by December though. Late 2009 / Early 2010 is my estimate for the next OS X release.

 

[Much Ado]

Almost by definition, the next versions of OSX will be incremental upgrades like Leopard. If/when/supposing a multi-touch OS came out, the name OSX would be dropped, I imagine.

And I agree, sheer manpower is also a problem for Apple, particularly given their love of small but talented teams and control.

 

[MisterMe]

...

It would seem to me that they can't simply add more gizmo's to Leopard so I am expecting it to be stuffed full of mind-blowing star-trekian multi-touch goodness and to be released in concert with a compliment of dazzling new game changing hardware and fully re-developed complimentary ilife/iwork and pro apps - but when should we expect this ?

...

What you don't seem to get is that Leopard is as close to a game-changer as we get these days. Darwin's switch from POSIX-compliant Unix-like to certified UNIX is just one part. It is one of the reasons that some users are being tripped-up by Leopard upgrades. Leopard already supports gesture-enabled UIs. The iPhone, iPod touch, and MacBook Air use gestures. In the near and medium term, the evolution of the Mac will be driven by the release of new hardware that takes advantage of the capabilities that are already part of Leopard. The takeaway message is that you should look at where we are rather than off into some distant future.

 

[brad.c]

Considering that UI improvements from 10.1-10.5 have been worthy of a far more than a modest .1++ bump, I wonder what it would take to bring us up to the fabled 11.0.

 

[surferfromuk]

Some really interesting points of view here ; Thanks for the replies.

From the consensus I getting that ;

1) Apple is 'stretched'
2) Things will 'evolve'
3) No 'game changer' to be expected.

Thinking about OSX 11 is a biggie...

What I'm wondering is if we are ever going to see the leap like we did from Apple I & II to 'Macintosh' - something as huge as the leap from commane line to mouse driver GUI. Is it going to come from Apple or some unknown startup that simply smashes the rules like Steve & Steve did back in the 80's.

After all the 'files,folders and drop-down menu's operating system has fundamentally remained unchanged since inception - albeit slick elements have been added, more interconnectivity and graphical enhancements...

This kind of leads me to wonder - Is 'multi-touch' the revolution that's just beginning - the complete abandonment of the mouse, of hierarchical files and folders and drop-down menus ?.

 

[miloblithe]

As OS X has matured, the devopment of new revisions has taken more and more time.

10.0 -- March 24, 2001
10.1 -- September 25, 2001 (6 months)
10.2 -- August 24, 2002 (11 months)
10.3 -- October 24, 2003 (14 months)
10.4 -- April 29, 2005 (18 months)
10.5 -- October 26, 2007 (30 months)

I don't think we'll hear anything much for a while as Leopard still needs some development / tweaking. I wouldn't expect the next OS until 2010.

 

[Eraserhead]

Jobs said the next OS would come about 18 months after the last one.

 

[MisterMe]

... Is 'multi-touch' the revolution that's just beginning - the complete abandonment of the mouse, of hierarchical files and folders and drop-down menus ?.

Multi-touch is the biggest change in the personal computer UI since Apple introduced the Lisa in 1983. It may have implications that we cannot begin to predict. However, the revolution will be in how we use computers, not which computers we use. The hardware is already beginning to take shape.

 

[kabunaru]

I wouldn't expect the next OS until 2010.

And OS 11 until 2020 at least.

 

[Pees330]

I think the next version will have some pretty cool features in it. I think Apple will start to think of integrating devices such as the iPhone and possibly other future products into the experience. A Back to my Mac type of integration, so that mobile computing is truly in your pocket.

By that time all the laptops will have multi-touch integrated, but you'll have to think of what they'll do with their desktops. Wireless connectivity will be the future.

I'm just making this stuff up, but heck all it could have is more shiny dock. You never know. Plus I think there will be a long gap between releases because you can see that Apple is working on so much stuff right now and it seems like they are barely getting through. So unless they hire more employees it'll be a while.

 

[pianoman]

And OS 11 until 2020 at least.

not necessarily. i think 2010 is a good prediction for the next iteration of the Mac OS, though.

I think the next version will have some pretty cool features in it. I think Apple will start to think of integrating devices such as the iPhone and possibly other future products into the experience. A Back to my Mac type of integration, so that mobile computing is truly in your pocket.

i agree completely. i imagine computing will involve very little keyboarding and even less mousing. we'll carry an iPhone/iPod touch-like device that we can plug into a monitor to get the "home" interface. on the go, it will remain like the current iPhone's interface, maybe some evolutionary changes. everything will be wireless, including storage through some sort of Time Capsule-like network drive. just a thought.