Apple to Begin Merging iOS and OS X With Quad-Core A6 Chip Next Year?

[jeznav]

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Using ARM's A9 architecture to power a laptop is limiting to the tasks it's capable now let alone underpowered than Intels Atom. MacBook Air already has the iCore line. Why go backwards with ARM if it can't even run x86.

Also, ARM Cortex-A15 won't be out by 2013. It would take 4 quadcore chips to match the performance of Intel MBA. How many more to match a MacPro?

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Apple would be putting it self in the same spot they had with PPC and that is software issues. It will be pretty big change for a lot of a software manufactures and I can see a lot of software not really making the change over. Hell I would not be surpised if APple will be its typical sell and make something like Rossetta have even a shorter life span if they make it at all. Could just be one of those well you were not using the API so its your problem crap.

 

[guzhogi]

If true, I wonder what this would mean to the Mac Pro. From my perspective, it seems like Apple is going more towards the consumer/prosumer market & away from the high end pro market. If the A6 proc has built-in GPU, what would happen to discreet GPUs?

Also, if iOS & Mac OS X merge, what happens to software not in the App Store? Will Apple allow people to download apps from other places, or just the App Store? If the latter, IMO, Apple will be shooting themselves in the foot.

Don't get me wrong, I can see advantages to this merging: easier sharing, easier for people to learn, etc. I just also see issues Apple will have to address.

 

[Mike Oxard]

Why does this guy keep referring to "iTV" ? There is no such Apple product, there probably never will be with that name.

 

[ouimetnick]

I'm happy with Intel processors in my Macintosh computers thanks.

 

[mwayne85]

No.

 

[Jarhead5811]

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I'd be happy with an iPad powerful enough to run a full blown photo editor.

 

[RodThePlod]

As compelling as running a desktop-class OS on my iPhone sounds, I really don't see this unified OS happening anytime soon - and certainly not in 3-4 years.

The iPhone has been shipping for 4 years already - and while the OS has undoubtedly improved from the first versions, the changes haven't been drastic in any way.

This is one of those analyst's reports that we'll look back on in time while we chuckle softly to ourselves

RTP.

 

[Macopotamus]

I've said this several times on MacRumors before. But I said within 5 years this would happen. Well, 4 years since I started saying this last year with the iPad and all. 2012 seems a little ambitious, but when you have $75 billion lying around you can do a lot!

Remember that iMac patent? The one where it folds down so you can use it as a better touch surface? Combine that with pressure sensitivity with a stylus (like a Wacom) and pros will eat that up.

I agree with what you say except for this... "pros will eat that up" the evidence is clear that 'pros' aren't Apple's market anymore, it's the consumer.

 

[_Refurbished_]

There are things you can do on a 27" screen that you can't do on a 3.5" screen (or 5", whenever it gets bigger). Apple is trying to form a cohesive experience between both platforms, but they will never run completely hand in hand.

The CPU stuff he mentioned is bologna. There's as good of a chance of that happening, as there is Oscar Mayer producing silicon for Apple...

 

[goMac]

OS X and iOS are already merged, they just have different GUIs. 10.7 and iOS 5 are using the same source base. They are not "kept separate." Apple has repeatedly pointed this out as a strength of their platform in developer meetings.

Translated: This analyst is making stuff up.

 

[Infrared]

.

 

[Infrared]

Masses of Mac users run Windows under Boot Camp or in
VMWare and the like. If this happens, that won't be possible.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Masses of Mac users run Windows under Boot Camp or in
VMWare and the like. If this happens, that won't be possible.

You've not heard the recurring rumor of Windows (possibly even Windows 8) being (also) coded to run on ARM processors?

See: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/ces-microsoft-shows-off-windows-8-on-arm/8339 and http://www.pcworld.com/article/229241/windows_8_and_the_arm_revolution_the_pros_and_cons.html and then just do a search for Windows 8 ARM and see the multitude of speculation or less than speculation.

 

[CyberBob859]

Other rumors of Apple moving to ARM-based processors for its Mac lineup have surfaced in the past, with one report claiming that Apple has developed an A5-powered MacBook Air for testing purposes. We continue to see significant hurdles to such a dramatic shift, particularly over the short-term, and so we consider today's claims to be highly speculative in nature.

I think an ARM-based Mac is a dumb idea, but now that the white MacBook is gone, what about a replacement iOS-based laptop? Put support for a Magic Trackpad in iOS 5.x or iOS 6 to handle the gestures, and you can have a purely consumer-based machine for people who like the simplicity of an iDevice, but want something with a more traditional keyboard. If they price it right, it may sell.

Now that iOS will be more of a standalone operating system (doesn't require a computer to set it up and sync to), it would be feasible to make something like this.

 

[jeznav]

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At least they can boast about the battery: "The all new Macbook Air. 15 hours of runtime, 60 days of standby."
XD

 

[King Flamez1]

iOS X

 

[ghost187]

Well, I was thinking about this merger too, but I just don't see it. I see OSX running on Arm processors, but not switching to complete touch UI like iOS.

Why?

Because, Apple is really pushing this Mac App Store, and they wouldn't push it if they were going to kill off the mouse/keyboard UI. Plus, Intel is making huge progress year after year at a rate where mobile processors will never catch up. Just as intel processors will never be as power efficient as arm processors.

 

[Jerome Morrow]

Masses of Mac users run Windows under Boot Camp or in
VMWare and the like. If this happens, that won't be possible.

That's why i think it won't be a switch like the Intel switch was. It will be a new branch of computers and devs will have a clean start.

 

[Mac_Max]

Probably the only reason they'd do this in the meanwhile is if they wanted the iPhone/Pad/Touch to be able to dock with a base station and run a full OS like the Motorola Atrix. Not really sure if they'd want to do that or not.

 

[dukebound85]

what is wrong with having seperate os's for mobile and real computer devices? I just don't get it

 

[gorskiegangsta]

This is a classic example of a so-called "analyst" not understanding the basic concept of an operating system. It is quite possible that Apple is working on an ARM version of OS X, so that they can use their A# chips, to reduce cost, reduce heat, increase battery life and allow Apple to make even thinner and sleeker devices. That being said, there's absolutely no benefit [at least as now] to merge iOS and OS X. The iCloud services will work fine on on both platforms, even if they are kept "separate". Heck, Dropbox works just fine cross-platform wise; I don't see any reason why Apple shouldn't do as well, or better with iCloud.

 

[dexthageek]

It is one thing to lock down a tablet or phone, but to lock down the desktop and laptops would be a bad thing. Does anyone else feel that Apple would see a decrease in desktop/laptop sales if this really did happen?

 

[Tilpots]

what is wrong with having seperate os's for mobile and real computer devices? I just don't get it

What's wrong with having one OS? Nothing.

 

[patohi]

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Ur all missing something!!! It's all about the cloud!!!! The cloud will advance to a point that all ur files will be online!!!! The data center severs will do the heavy CPU and gpu work for you!!! It's also possible you will dock your machine to an external gpu to take care of heavy workloads!!!!! 5 years is quite far away!!!