Something Major Must Be in the Works for macOS 10.13

[Mr. Dee]

Either Tim Cook's double down system is finally working or something else why there hasn't been much of a hint as what to really expect; except for 10.13 systems checking macrumors.com.

With exception since 10.10, there hasn't been any major changes. Addition of Siri to Sierra is debatable, but it seemed more logical. We already know APFS is definitely a huge under the hood upgrade for macOS platform, but its not as sexy as user facing features.

Is it possible something else in relations to APFS could lead to some substantial user interface or application features and functionality? Then again, the direction of macOS seems to be refinements going forward. Going back to APFS, are there some core areas of the system likely to see substantial improvements? Here are some things that come mind:

• Time Machine Backups - Faster, secure, more flexible.
• Better performance on SSD drives - meaning, even faster startup times, application load times - debatable, because I haven't seen it on my iPhone.
• Enhanced security - better encryption options for local and external storage - not really an OMG kinda thing.
• Virtualization - could likely mean a dual file system approach similar ChromeOS. No need to reboot anymore when applying point updates. Basically, you install 10.13.1 and it switches over to the new one without you noticing. This would be substantial productivity booster.
• Virtualized Boot Camp, meaning, you could now run Windows 10 natively in macOS without taking a performance hit and get all the benefits of direct access to hardware: memory, GPU, processor cores.
• Native read and write to NTFS drives - would really make interoperability with Windows platform easier.
• This one just popped up in my head, but its possible there could be a merger with iOS and macOS. Not just at the file system level, but in a more substantial way in regards to maybe API's and Graphical User Interface. Meaning, iOS and macOS both die to form AppleOS powering iPhone, iPads and Macs. The operating system will be be intelligent enough to provide the best features and experience across devices, optimized with functionality to make users more productive. Yes, this means Apple would be introducing a new platform with a major name change again. But, Apple has been known for surprises.

These are just some of things I can think of. Its a desktop operating system after all, but the fact that Apple has kept a lid on leaks suggest there must be something major coming.

 

[Jyby]

Science Rules!

 

[Mr. Dee]

I'm definitely for an iOS macOS merge. It makes absolute sense. And the fact that iPhone 7 is pretty on par with the current MacBooks in terms of performance, it seems realistic.

I'm guessing someday Apple will make it possible to dock your phone to a monitor and keyboard for more desktop like work.

Other companies are already exploring this user experience. App development for different form factors isn't too hard if you know what you're doing. Microsoft seems to lean this way with UWP.

But then again, what will happen to the apple product line? Will people have iPhone and MacBook shells to slip their phones into? Will pro devices be around?

I like my above future for myself, but others are going to have their own opinions.

What I am reading from developers is, they would like to see less operating systems from Apple, not more. Consolidation would be advantageous around one core OS. I think Apple might be slowly realizing Microsoft's OneCore strategy is not so out of the ordinary. It certainly would require less resources. iOS, tvOS and watchOS are already all derivatives of macOS. Its just for Apple to refactor the platform so it delivers the right features for each device in Apple's ecosystem. iOS and tvOS would pretty much look the same as they do today, but there would be more consistency, especially regarding first party apps.

For developers, it would also mean exposure of standard API's allowing write once, run anywhere type of scenarios.

 

[thingstoponder]

I suspect/hope that 10.13 delivers the following.

-APFS, obvious
-Full dark mode seems obvious. It's shown up in betas for iOS and macOS around the same time it was introduced in tvOS.
-Music app, TV app, Podcasts app, iTunes Store app, etc. Finally kill monolithic iTunes.
-News app.
-Homekit app.

Basically I just want app parity between OSes. Why is there a News app on iOS but not macOS? Why does iTunes still exist? Why no TV app? There's nothing on the Mac that gives you the same experience as the TV app.

 

[Mr. Dee]

I suspect/hope that 10.13 delivers the following.

-APFS, obvious
-Full dark mode seems obvious. It's shown up in betas for iOS and macOS around the same time it was introduced in tvOS.
-Music app, TV app, Podcasts app, iTunes Store app, etc. Finally kill monolithic iTunes.
-News app.
-Homekit app.

Basically I just want app parity between OSes. Why is there a News app on iOS but not macOS? Why does iTunes still exist? Why no TV app? There's nothing on the Mac that gives you the same experience as the TV app.

Something I think a core AppleOS could deliver. Tim Cook has said in the press though Apple has no intention of merging iOS and macOS. It's just something I think will help them deliver more consistent experiences as you mentioned. Right now, its kinda all over the place.

 

[thingstoponder]

I'm not sure what people mean when they say they want a unified OS. Do you want your iPhone and TV to have the same UI? If not then you're mostly just arguing semantics, seeing as all the OSes share a lot of the same underpinning as it is anyways. If you want them to unify all the code and just make different UIs for each platform then that sounds good to me, but I surely don't want the same UI on a Mac and iPad.

 

[Mr. Dee]

I'm not sure what people mean when they say they want a unified OS. Do you want your iPhone and TV to have the same UI? If not then you're mostly just arguing semantics, seeing as all the OSes share a lot of the same underpinning as it is anyways. If you want them to unify all the code and just make different UIs for each platform then that sounds good to me, but I surely don't want the same UI on a Mac and iPad.

No, unified in terms of kernel, file system, api's and the ability to have apps that are functionally the same across desktop, mobile. Not necessarily in terms of look and feel. Take for example, the News app, you could have a desktop version, a smartphone version, a watch version and even a TV version with different experiences. The TV version could maybe put more emphasis on video, the iPad version more on text, the watch version more a notification. They are all the same at the core, but deliver the right experiences regardless of the platform.

 

[Jyby]

Science Rules!

 

[Mr. Dee]

But I would also argue, the ability to work the way Microsoft surface tablets do.

The ability to plug our iPhones into a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, and get Mac OS up and running.

If I could buy one expensive device from apple for $1300, I'd buy a new one every 2 years.

I'd have a spare maybe, and I would just have one device for mostly everything

That hints at what might be coming Monday. For most persons who want to prepare long text documents, the touch method is difficult. Apple might finally realize, some of the best of macOS WIMP UI will need to come to iOS to make it a better everyday computer.

 

[thingstoponder]

-Full dark mode seems obvious.

No, unified in terms of kernel, file system, api's and the ability to have apps that are functionally the same across desktop, mobile. Not necessarily in terms of look and feel. Take for example, the News app, you could have a desktop version, a smartphone version, a watch version and even a TV version with different experiences. The TV version could maybe put more emphasis on video, the iPad version more on text, the watch version more a notification. They are all the same at the core, but deliver the right experiences regardless of the platform.

Oh, I agree. I want a News app now.

But I would also argue, the ability to work the way Microsoft surface tablets do.

The ability to plug our iPhones into a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, and get Mac OS up and running.

If I could buy one expensive device from apple for $1300, I'd buy a new one every 2 years.

I'd have a spare maybe, and I would just have one device for mostly everything

What about laptops and tablets though? Your method only works if all you want is a phone form factor and a desktop form factor.

 

[Mr. Dee]

-Full dark mode seems obvious.


Oh, I agree. I want a News app now.




What about laptops and tablets though? Your method only works if all you want is a phone form factor and a desktop form factor.

watchOS, iOS, tvOS are all derivatives of macOS, so, at their essential core, it could be one platform. An iMac, MacBook or Mac Pro would pretty much remain the same with its traditional windows, icons, menus and pointing device experience.

 

[randolorian]

Nope, nothing major was in the works.

 

[Mr. Dee]

Nope, nothing major was in the works.

Seems so, I am getting out of the prediction business for macOS, whatever comes, comes.