A Multi-Touch iPhone OS Layer On Top of Mac OS X?

[MacRumors]

In a NYTimes' blog post, Nick Bilton describes how PCs aren't as easy to use as the iPhone, and explores why the iPhone OS simply can't be used in a future iteration of Mac OS X.

Bilton quotes a former senior Apple engineer who explains that implementing global multi-touch support onto the existing Mac OS X would be a hard task. While Apple has added multi-touch features into a few apps, the whole OS simply wasn't designed for touch input. However, Bilton's source then raises the interesting possibility of adding iPhone OS as a layer on top of Mac OS X -- much like how Front Row presently works.

Front Row is Apple's media center software for the Mac which adopts an Apple TV-like interface. When invoked, the entire Mac OS X desktop fades out, leaving a TV-friendly navigation system that looks nothing like Mac OS X. What's been suggested is that Apple could adopt a iPhone OS layer that would greatly simplify tasks for some users. Now, it's not clear if this was actually something Apple had been actively exploring or if it was just presented as speculative option by Bilton's source, but we felt it was an interesting topic of discussion.

Apple's iPad has been felt to represent this shift to an easier computing paradigm. The iPad is essentially the iPhone OS on a larger form factor, but it's that larger size that introduces new possibilities that encroach on the functionality of current desktop/notebooks.

Article Link: A Multi-Touch iPhone OS Layer On Top of Mac OS X?

 

[vista.john]

Certainly a very interesting idea...

 

[knewsom]

not too stoked on this. How many different OSs does the mac need?

 

[puuukeey]

wait os x supports multitouch at all? Where was I when this happened?!?!?

 

[GoodWrites]

Interesting Concept

Hmmm.... It appeared that Apple had started a new or more intense relationship with the NY Times behind the scenes as it was doing its iPad work. Does Nick Bilton have some inside knowledge that he is "leaking" to drive Apple in a certain direction or allow Apple a "leaked" source to get some more chatter?

They don't have much for people to talk about right now in some ways.

This could be an interesting start!!

The fun starts anew...

 

[La Porta]

I already replied to the post on the Times site hours ago. While running on top of OS X would be fine (think of what At Ease was for kids to make things simpler), REPLACING OSX would be out of the question. If you read the actual article, you will see that the full meaning of it was asking why computers can't be just like the iPhone OS.

 

[Breckenridge]

I love Apple products but really hate the direction they are taking lately. OS X just like Windows Platform should be able to accommodate for tablet style OS, but Apple is being lazy here. A pen like device + Multitouch features on top of OS X would be really nice. Think of the ModBook, I'm really tempted to buy one because I really need a simple handheld solution where I can input data and notes while I walk with clients, just like a paper notepad. Why is it so hard for Apple to innovate lately?

 

[NT1440]

not too stoked on this. How many different OSs does the mac need?

It wouldn't be a different OS, it would be a different mode of it, like Front Row is a different mode of OSX. Did you read the article?

 

[ShiftyPig]

What exactly is this "easier computing paradigm?" As it is, I can control my computer with 4-5 inches of mouse movement of from the 3 inch touchpad. I'm trying to grasp how touching all over a 13-27 inch surface is "easier." Big buttons doesn't mean easier.

 

[mainstreetmark]

It wouldn't be a different OS, it would be a different mode of it, like Front Row is a different mode of OSX. Did you read the article?

It's no more an os mode than iTunes is. Front Row is simply a full-screen app, not an OS. Can you create files?

 

[NT1440]

What exactly is this "easier computing paradigm?" As it is, I can control my computer with 4-5 inches of mouse movement of from the 3 inch touchpad. I'm trying to grasp how touching all over a 13-27 inch surface is "easier." Big buttons doesn't mean easier.

Direct and intuitive manipulation of data. Things like scrolling with momentum make sense. It's interaction with digital content as if they are physical, a HUGE shift in paradigm.

 

[manhattanboy]

I'm in favor of it on top of OS X
Just not in replace of it!!!!!

 

[iVoid]

It wouldn't be a different OS, it would be a different mode of it, like Front Row is a different mode of OSX. Did you read the article?

The idea of a 'Mode' is so ancient. It must be the younger generation thinking it's a good idea to restrict what you can do on a computing device.

I've lived in a single mode environment for a decade before a very progressive Apple debuted Multifinder that allowed you to multitask and do what YOU want to DO not what the computer think you should do at that moment. Why do people want to go back to 'Modes'?

Mac OS X can accommodate multi-touch if Apple would care to do it (I have a hard time thinking of what I do with the mouse that I can't do with my finger... the mouse emulates the motion of pointing finger after all), but they are so hung up on locking people into the iPhone OS and their monopoly over Apps that they don't want to spend some of that 25 billion on Mac OS X.

If they didn't need to have Mac OS X to let people build iPhone Apps, they'd probably drop it altogether.

 

[NT1440]

The idea of a 'Mode' is so ancient. It must be the younger generation thinking it's a good idea to restrict what you can do on a computing device.

How is ADDING another way to interact restricting anyone? You DON'T have to use it if you don't want to.

 

[manhattanboy]

What exactly is this "easier computing paradigm?" As it is, I can control my computer with 4-5 inches of mouse movement of from the 3 inch touchpad. I'm trying to grasp how touching all over a 13-27 inch surface is "easier." Big buttons doesn't mean easier.

It's easier to lose weight with your arms swinging back and forth constantly... I think that's what he meant

If they didn't need to have Mac OS X to let people build iPhone Apps, they'd probably drop it altogether.

Sad but true

 

[RT2020]

Direct and intuitive manipulation of data. Things like scrolling with momentum make sense. It's interaction with digital content as if they are physical, a HUGE shift in paradigm.

Really? I have pixel by pixel accuracy with my mouse. I can use my mouse for 10 hours non-stop very comfortably. Try doing that with your finger?

We invented pens and pencils (tools) because finger painting was a little too basic for our needs.

Touch makes sense on small form factor machines on which you are performing basic tasks.

 

[tod]

I like iPhone OS as an addition to Mac OS X. If we all switched to a vastly simplified OS, we we would still need high performance machines to do serious work. I hope that all of these neat new mobile devices don't divert Apple's attention from OS X. Which, if it ever got to be as locked down as iPhone OS, I would drop in a heartbeat. I can tolerate their restrictions on a mobile computer... maybe. We'll see. But never on the desktop.

 

[pkr]

This piece just makes me wonder ... why is it that there is hardly a peep about what comes after Snow Leopard. Apple's silence makes me think that it may be something BIG.

 

[NT1440]

Really? I have pixel by pixel accuracy with my mouse. I can use my mouse for 10 hours non-stop very comfortably. Try doing that with your finger?

We invented pens and pencils (tools) because finger painting was a little to basic for our needs.

Touch makes sense on small form factor machines on which you are performing basic tasks.

Have you guys even read the article? This isn't going to be a required thing. It's supposed to be a simpler interface FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO USE IT.

 

[RT2020]

Sad but true

I'm with you here. This is really worrying me now

 

[RT2020]

Have you guys even read the article? This isn't going to be a required thing. It's supposed to be a simpler interface FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO USE IT.

It isn't about whether it is required or not...I have no problem with that. It's about the putting this news story into context of dozens of previous news items.

 

[thejakill]

touch for iphone, ipad

mouse for mac

let each do what each does best. don't mix and match (windows tablets). you get the worst of both worlds that way.

 

[NT1440]

It isn't about whether it is required or not...I have no problem with that. It's about the putting this news story into context of dozens of previous news items.

Please elaborate? I really have no idea what you mean by this.

I thought we all wanted MORE options, whats wrong with this one for those who would like to use it?

 

[Eidorian]

A Touch Dashboard for OS X isn't too far fetched.

 

[Cboss]

This piece just makes me wonder ... why is it that there is hardly a peep about what comes after Snow Leopard. Apple's silence makes me think that it may be something BIG.

With the very minor visual updates on Snow Leopard, I think that pretty much everyone agrees that 10.7 will bring major changes to the UI and/or new/updated apps. But, the silence is not unusual at all. This is Apple and Steve Jobs that we're talking about...