iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite May Launch Separately Despite Integration Features

MacRumors · Jul 22, 2014

While iOS and Mac OS X have traditionally followed different release schedules, Apple's recently announced Continuity features suggested it was possible for Apple's two operating systems to debut at the same time. However, Apple is planning to stagger the releases of both iOS 8 and Mac OS X Yosemite, reports 9to5Mac, citing sources with knowledge of Apple's plans.

iOS 8 is expected to launch in September alongside the iPhone 6 while OS X Yosemite will not launch until October. Apple used the same release schedule last year, launching iOS 7 alongside the iPhone 5s in September and OS X Mavericks one month later in October.

Continuity allows users to work seamlessly between iPhone, iPad and Mac, with the ability to start emails on one device and easily finish it on another, or using Macs and iPads to answer phone calls and "green bubble" text messages. Because iOS and OS X have never been designed to work better together than with iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, many saw a dual release as a good opportunity for Apple to cross-promote both its iOS devices and Macs with a stand-out new feature like Continuity.

Apple is planning on using engineering and user interface design members from the iOS team to help complete OS X Yosemite in time for a fall release, with a public beta planned as early as later this month.

Article Link: iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite May Launch Separately Despite Integration Features

Watabou · Jul 22, 2014

That makes sense, Yosemite has far more bugs than iOS 8 does currently, and Apple also has to fix the numerous bugs in Swift and Xcode 6. September may not be enough time for them.

joneill55 · Jul 22, 2014

We knew that

Apple kerned the** HARD WAY** after the MobileMe Disaster...... too many products out of the gate at once invites disaster and MM was a disaster at launch!

AngerDanger · Jul 22, 2014

Uh, no, this is not okay with me. I want them to be rushed, released simultaneously, and full of bugs that make using both an absolute nightmare.

brendu · Jul 22, 2014

Watabou said:
That makes sense, Yosemite has far more bugs than iOS 8 does currently, and Apple also has to fix the numerous bugs for the Swift 1.0 and Xcode 6 releases. September may not be enough time for them.

Thats funny, aside from a new safari bug in beta 4, Yosemite has been nearly rock solid for me on two machines while iOS 8 has been reasonably buggy.

I agree though that it makes sense to stagger the releases of the software. It also helps Apples servers from getting crushed twice as hard when both are released.

SpinThis! · Jul 22, 2014

Makes sense as a developer though as an end user it'll feel a little disappointing.

Depsite the beta process, it's only until the public gets their grubby mitts on it that other issues uncover here and there. Trying to do that for a major release is time consuming, now do that for two different OSes where Apple takes engineers off many projects and puts them on others. Rollouts are never seamless. Especially with the new iCloud/Drive integration that adds another wrinkle to get ironed out.

appleguy123 · Jul 22, 2014

It's like the Apple TV. AirPlay was the most heavily promoted feature on that device, but the iOS update wasn't released until a few months after the Apple TV was.

WhackyNinja · Jul 22, 2014

Doesn't surprise me, It would make sense for Apple to follow Mavericks' release month of October

Rogifan · Jul 22, 2014

And if this doesn't turn out to be true will Gurman claim it's because of his leak?

Watabou · Jul 22, 2014

brendu said:
Thats funny, aside from a new safari bug in beta 4, Yosemite has been nearly rock solid for me on two machines while iOS 8 has been reasonably buggy.

I agree though that it makes sense to stagger the releases of the software. It also helps Apples servers from getting crushed twice as hard when both are released.

There are still a lot of outstanding radars left for Yosemite. DP 4 feels more stable than DP 3 sure, but as far as responsiveness, app stability, and UI bugs go, there are still a lot of work Apple has to do.

iOS 8 on the other hand feels pretty stable to me. So you can see, different people have different bugs.

bkends35 · Jul 22, 2014

brendu said:
Thats funny, aside from a new safari bug in beta 4, Yosemite has been nearly rock solid for me on two machines while iOS 8 has been reasonably buggy.

I agree though that it makes sense to stagger the releases of the software. It also helps Apples servers from getting crushed twice as hard when both are released.

Same here, Yosemite has been very solid after beta 2 and iOS 8 for me is still very buggy.

The Doctor11 · Jul 22, 2014

Then apple will cry because they don't get record breaking numbers for the launch of iOS 8

dannyyankou · Jul 22, 2014

This wouldn't be the first time an iOS and OS X that shared the same features launched separately. Remember iCloud Keychain?

Traverse · Jul 22, 2014

Well, I think they have always launched separately. I assume iOS 8 will be released about a week (maybe the same day) after the iPhone 6 announcement.

OS X Yosemite will be released during a Mac announcement; most likely during the MacBook Pro and Air announcements.

It would be an awfully crowded announcement to detail two new iPhones, iOS 8, AND OS X at the same time, but possible.

nikicampos · Jul 22, 2014

OMG!! shocking news

This would be news if at least the past 3 or 4 years OS X and iOS had been released on the same day, they were not.

Robert.Walter · Jul 22, 2014

Don't forget, for those non-developer types that are really hot to have the Yosemite and iOS 8 in action prior to the official release of Yosemite, Apple made a million Yosemite public beta licenses available.

By the time the public beta is available, all the big bugs will be a) worked-out, and b) anything remaining will be relatively small that the public-beta crowd will be prepared to accept and proud to contribute feedback to Apple on.

Apple will not risk reputation by putting out a mission-endangering public beta of Yosemite as they are looking forward to the buzz created by a million OSX evangelists...

In this way, the evangelists will be touting the features of continuity to their friends and help to drive first day sales and rapid pace software upgrades to the iOS and osx installed base.

blue-fireball · Jul 22, 2014

Honestly, these betas/previews have more bugs that the previous three generations did at this point. They need plenty of time to make iOS 8 stable, and even more time to make Yosemite feature complete and stable. I would be pleasantly very surprised if they actually shipped Yosemite in October with the features they promised. It is an ambitious update.

Prof. · Jul 22, 2014

Seeing how buggy Mavericks was, please take all the time you need, Apple.

Tubamajuba · Jul 22, 2014

brendu said:
Thats funny, aside from a new safari bug in beta 4, Yosemite has been nearly rock solid for me on two machines while iOS 8 has been reasonably buggy.

Agreed. I had to go back to iOS 7.1.2 because even basic things like the Messages app weren't functioning for me in iOS 8; the only issue I've had in Yosemite is Safari crashing but DP4 seems to have fixed that for me. All in all, Yosemite is running flawlessly for me.

But everyone has different usage patterns, so our experiences may differ from that of others.

PocketSand11 · Jul 22, 2014

Prof. said:
Seeing how buggy Mavericks was, please take all the time you need, Apple.

I too am worried about how buggy Yosemite could be, since it's based on Mavericks. They should just fork it straight from Mountain Lion instead to save themselves the trouble of debugging.

Futurix · Jul 22, 2014

Currently iCloud for iOS 8 / Yosemite is incompatible with iCloud for iOS 7 / Mavericks - I really hope Apple will fix this or millions of users will be in for a world of pain!

Explanation: switching to iCloud Drive currently breaks iCloud document sync for earlier operating systems.

wigby · Jul 22, 2014

No one expected a simultaneous release and Apple never even hinted at such a thing.

This just in...Apple won't release iPhone 6 and iPad Air 2 on the same day.

Tanegashima · Jul 22, 2014

I don't believe, they are even releasing DP's simultaneously.

oatman13 · Jul 22, 2014

PocketSand11 said:
I too am worried about how buggy Yosemite could be, since it's based on Mavericks. They should just fork it straight from Mountain Lion instead to save themselves the trouble of debugging.

If Apple were to do this I'd personally pay them a visit at Apple HQ and slap every engineer across the face. Mavericks has some of the BEST additions to the Mac OS since its inception. Compressed Memory, GL4, Time Coalescing, AppNap, etc...

haruhiko · Jul 22, 2014

I don't care about the release schedules but Apple please make features really work between OS X and iOS, yes, I mean the current AirDrop which doesn't support dropping files between OS X and iOS, which is supposed to be fixed in OS X Yosemite and iOS 8.

iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite May Launch Separately Despite Integration Features

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