Embedded Mac OS X for Apple Consumer Electronics?

MacRumors · Dec 19, 2006, 02:00 PM

Appleinsider reports that Apple is working an an operating system based on the core technologies in Mac OS X as the basis for upcoming devices.

According to the report, Apple intends to integrate the software into the upcoming Apple Phone which is expected in the 1st half of 2007. Meanwhile, more devices are expected and "more comprehensive plans call for it to form the bedrock of a jaw-dropping device not due to hit the market until the following year".

This embedded form of Mac OS X is expected to offer tight integration with Apple's desktop offerings.

Looprumors first offered early claims of a "light" version of Mac OS X as the basis for the rumored Apple Phone. According to their earlier report, the light version of Mac OS X would incorporate light versions of their iLife software (iCal, iTunes, iPhoto) for integration with the standard version of Mac OS X.

steve_hill4 · Dec 19, 2006, 02:01 PM

Oooh, smartphones and PDAs anyone??

MWSF is too far away for my liking.

miketcool · Dec 19, 2006, 02:05 PM

Mac OS X is going to be scalable, only makes sense.

EagerDragon · Dec 19, 2006, 02:09 PM

Integration is the key, being able to transfer information in both directions seamlessly and using a common interface would be king.

Too bad it is not here today.

xJulianx · Dec 19, 2006, 02:10 PM

Now THIS is exciting news.

iJawn108 · Dec 19, 2006, 02:11 PM

This is a rumer I like to hear most.

Leopard Phone please.

BoyBach · Dec 19, 2006, 02:12 PM

What do you think this 2008 "jaw-dropping" product could be?

spine · Dec 19, 2006, 02:13 PM

So we have a full year to rumor about a new apple device?
I hope its a ultra mobile touchscreen palm-top. The ultimate all-in-one.
Countdown to keynote 08!

gloss · Dec 19, 2006, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by welshandrew

What do you think this 2008 "jaw-dropping" product could be?

Dare I say it?

...G5 Powerbook.

mister880 · Dec 19, 2006, 02:14 PM

I am just about ready to give up on any phone / pda from Apple! Right now I am using a Treo 650 and it's good... But not great!

If Apple is working on such a device if they don't announce MWSF I am giving up on RUMOR SITES!

Com'n apple even you are taking this too far!

EagerDragon · Dec 19, 2006, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macrumors

Meanwhile, more devices are expected and "more comprehensive plans call for it to form the bedrock of a jaw-dropping device not due to hit the market until the following year".

This jaw-dropping quote seems to be the key here, unfortunatly it sounds that we will not see it until 2008 "the following year".

Bring it on.

m-dogg · Dec 19, 2006, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gloss

Dare I say it?...

No. Don't say it.

EagerDragon · Dec 19, 2006, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by welshandrew

What do you think this 2008 "jaw-dropping" product could be?

The usual
a) Powerbook G5,
b) iTablet,
c) Video iPod
d) iPod Phone
e) Mac Gamer Pro

Yea a) is lame

product26 · Dec 19, 2006, 02:24 PM

i sure hope so... mobile OS companies need some real competition to push the market in to making real, usable, integrated solutions.

ChrisA · Dec 19, 2006, 02:26 PM

Should be possible. Linux has been ported to the iPod. http://www.ipodlinux.org/Main_Page

If you look at the computers that were used to develop BSD Unix the iPod and a cell phone don't look so low powered. This is kind of like taking BSD back to it's roots. Mac OS X is after all just BSD with a pretty face.

Back in the day, we measured RAM in kilobytes, not MB or GB and BSD ran on those machines. I remember seeing an IBM 360 computer at UCLA that was the first machine I saw that had a full megabyte of RAM The memory unit was a cube about 8 feet on a side. I remember there were 8 racks that were cabled together to make the full 1MB and UCLAbought 9 racks so they could have a spare. The RAM was made of real "core" , about 10 million little cores each hand wired. UNIX ran on machine much, much less expensive than this, machines with just kilobytes of core. This was in the mid 1970's back when UNIX and the Internet (or "darpanet") was still new. All of this ran on a few "K" or core back then, why not do it again?

supafly1703 · Dec 19, 2006, 02:28 PM

finally...true intergration with my mac...

danielbriggs · Dec 19, 2006, 02:30 PM

Just a thought:

Could this be what iTV will run???

gloss · Dec 19, 2006, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m-dogg

No. Don't say it.

Sorry. My first offense.

ariel · Dec 19, 2006, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by welshandrew

What do you think this 2008 "jaw-dropping" product could be?

Ah, the newton is finally back!

LostPacket · Dec 19, 2006, 02:36 PM

I doubt they'll announce a phone at MWSF if they're still working on the OS. I sincerely hope this rumour is out of date and it's just taken this long to come to light.

This new device could also be jaw-droppingly mundane, like the "Hi-Fi 2: Now with more bulk".

hvfsl · Dec 19, 2006, 02:36 PM

I am guessing the 'Jaw dropping device' is the Apple tablet we keep on hearing about.

Using a tec similar to this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89sz8ExZndc

allpar · Dec 19, 2006, 02:39 PM

Newton MessagePad 160 is coming!

mkrishnan · Dec 19, 2006, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielbriggs

Just a thought:

Could this be what iTV will run???

I'd assume that's one very prominent planned application, yeah.

steve_hill4 · Dec 19, 2006, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariel

Ah, the newton is finally back!

Return of another familiar classic. I for one would love to see the Newton name return, but it would feel too much like Apple clinging to the past, and a past product that was a relative failure compared to what it could have been. Not to mention Jobs pretty much killed the Newton upon arrival back at Cupertino.

Newton-like, but not Newton.

I think by now the phone is a near certainty, but what else could this be utilised for? Remember that Windows CE was used on the Sega Dreamcast.....

AidenShaw · Dec 19, 2006, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by supafly1703

finally...true intergration with my mac...

...and your Mac's spell-checker.

Dec 19, 2006, 02:00 PM	#1
MacRumors macrumors bot Join Date: Apr 2001	Embedded Mac OS X for Apple Consumer Electronics? Appleinsider reports that Apple is working an an operating system based on the core technologies in Mac OS X as the basis for upcoming devices. According to the report, Apple intends to integrate the software into the upcoming Apple Phone which is expected in the 1st half of 2007. Meanwhile, more devices are expected and "more comprehensive plans call for it to form the bedrock of a jaw-dropping device not due to hit the market until the following year". This embedded form of Mac OS X is expected to offer tight integration with Apple's desktop offerings. Looprumors first offered early claims of a "light" version of Mac OS X as the basis for the rumored Apple Phone. According to their earlier report, the light version of Mac OS X would incorporate light versions of their iLife software (iCal, iTunes, iPhoto) for integration with the standard version of Mac OS X.

Dec 19, 2006, 02:01 PM	#2
steve_hill4 macrumors 68000 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Propping up the bar.	Oooh, smartphones and PDAs anyone?? MWSF is too far away for my liking. __________________ If I had all the money I've spent on drink, I'd spend it on drink. - Vivian Stanshall

Dec 19, 2006, 02:09 PM	#4
EagerDragon macrumors 68010 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: MA, USA	Integration is the key, being able to transfer information in both directions seamlessly and using a common interface would be king. Too bad it is not here today. __________________ Security is a state of mind, Nothing can ever be fully secured and be functional. Therefore iBricks are fully secured.

Dec 19, 2006, 02:10 PM	#5
xJulianx macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Portsmouth, UK	Now THIS is exciting news. __________________ MacBook CD\|1.83GHz\|2GB RAM\|320GB HDD\|10.5.6 500GB Lacie\|Edirol MA-7A Monitors\|Logic 8 Last.fm

Dec 19, 2006, 02:11 PM	#6
iJawn108 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Apr 2006	This is a rumer I like to hear most. Leopard Phone please. __________________ Black MacBook \| Core Duo 2 GHz \| 2 GB Ram \| 320 GB HDD \| OS X Snow Leopard 10.6 - iPod Touch \| 16 GB Camino OpenSolaris

Dec 19, 2006, 02:05 PM	#3
miketcool macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jun 2003	Mac OS X is going to be scalable, only makes sense.

Dec 19, 2006, 02:12 PM	#7
BoyBach macrumors 68030 Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: UK	Start speculating. What do you think this 2008 "jaw-dropping" product could be? __________________ "Knowledge is porridge"

Dec 19, 2006, 02:13 PM	#8
spine macrumors member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: warwick RI	jawdropping So we have a full year to rumor about a new apple device? I hope its a ultra mobile touchscreen palm-top. The ultimate all-in-one. Countdown to keynote 08! __________________ photographer/filmmaker/designer 24" iMac, white macbook, iPod 60g, nano 4G, iphone 3G.

Dec 19, 2006, 02:14 PM	#10
mister880 macrumors member Join Date: Jul 2002	Rumors, Rumors, Rumors.... I am just about ready to give up on any phone / pda from Apple! Right now I am using a Treo 650 and it's good... But not great! If Apple is working on such a device if they don't announce MWSF I am giving up on RUMOR SITES! Com'n apple even you are taking this too far!

Dec 19, 2006, 02:24 PM	#14
product26 macrumors 6502a Join Date: May 2005	i sure hope so... mobile OS companies need some real competition to push the market in to making real, usable, integrated solutions. __________________ insert randomness here

Dec 19, 2006, 02:26 PM	#15
ChrisA macrumors 601 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Redondo Beach, California	Should be possible. Linux has been ported to the iPod. http://www.ipodlinux.org/Main_Page If you look at the computers that were used to develop BSD Unix the iPod and a cell phone don't look so low powered. This is kind of like taking BSD back to it's roots. Mac OS X is after all just BSD with a pretty face. Back in the day, we measured RAM in kilobytes, not MB or GB and BSD ran on those machines. I remember seeing an IBM 360 computer at UCLA that was the first machine I saw that had a full megabyte of RAM The memory unit was a cube about 8 feet on a side. I remember there were 8 racks that were cabled together to make the full 1MB and UCLAbought 9 racks so they could have a spare. The RAM was made of real "core" , about 10 million little cores each hand wired. UNIX ran on machine much, much less expensive than this, machines with just kilobytes of core. This was in the mid 1970's back when UNIX and the Internet (or "darpanet") was still new. All of this ran on a few "K" or core back then, why not do it again?

Dec 19, 2006, 02:28 PM	#16
supafly1703 macrumors member Join Date: Jul 2004	finally...true intergration with my mac...

Dec 19, 2006, 02:30 PM	#17
danielbriggs macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Manchester, UK	Just a thought: Could this be what iTV will run???

Dec 19, 2006, 02:36 PM	#20
LostPacket macrumors member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Canada, eh	I doubt they'll announce a phone at MWSF if they're still working on the OS. I sincerely hope this rumour is out of date and it's just taken this long to come to light. This new device could also be jaw-droppingly mundane, like the "Hi-Fi 2: Now with more bulk".

Dec 19, 2006, 02:36 PM	#21
hvfsl macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: London, UK	I am guessing the 'Jaw dropping device' is the Apple tablet we keep on hearing about. Using a tec similar to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89sz8ExZndc __________________ MacBook Pro 2.4Ghz 500GB (uni) OS X/Windows XP/7/Ubuntu Hackintosh Pro - 2.4Ghz Quad core XP/OS X Media Centre - 2Ghz dual core BluRay Windows 7

Dec 19, 2006, 02:39 PM	#22
allpar macrumors regular Join Date: May 2002	Newton MessagePad 160 is coming! __________________ car reviews and business and organizational development articles are all very fine, but here's a prime site for Mac statistics software

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