The theory is that Apple is moving towards a convergence of hardware (and software to a degree) platforms so that ideally, a consumer would own a large screen (iTV), medium screen (iPad) and a small screen (iPhone). All would provide access to the same content, thus allowing you to consume or utilize the content anywhere you were with obvious tradeoffs of portability vs screen size. Most techies blow this off because they think it's ridiculous that they would get rid of Mac. I don't think Apple necessarily plans to get rid of the Mac, just that it would be marginalized. Most tech geeks just don't realize how much in the minority we are.
I think Steve probably realized awhile back that most people don't use the applications that us tech geeks "need" a computer for - website programming, photoshop, design work, etc. iOS is designed to optimize content consumption, rather than creation. Content creation is only utilized by a small percentage of the population. Thus, as more and more people get an iPad, they'll completely forego getting a PC or Mac.
I agree, for consumers at home, a tablet is the future, and not the home computer. But, that doesn't address the white collar worker / entrepreneur, who will always require a real computer for their job and income. This is so much larger than just tech people, it's accountants, lawyers, authors, financial analysts, etc. Everyone who primarily spends their day using Office, inputting data.
It's actually more disappointing than exciting. The reason that all the changes are coming from the consumer end is because professional markets are no longer coming up with good ideas.
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But really, this is what I see happening in the future. Look at the iOSification of OSX. Look at Apple's market - 77% iOS, 14% OSX. Look at the slippery slope that's starting to occur as Apple keeps adding features like Gatekeeper, that regard anything not directly from Apple as "dangerous."
Apple is starting to perfect their walled garden - and I, for one, am not pleased with this perfection...
Computers have been good enough for the vast majority of professional uses for 5-10 years now. The major form factor shift from desktops to laptops was the only real gain. The only noticeable gains remaining, that give users new capabilities, already started a while ago and involve day long or multi-day battery life, ubiquitous retina resolution all the way up to 30" displays, improved wireless networking (4G built-in). Most everything else will be incremental hardware improvements and software improvements.
Consumer devices have much more room for innovations, since they're used in more places and in more ways than the typical professional at a desk. I wouldn't be depressed by all this, when technology reaches a good enough point, it lets us focus on other issues.
Computer security is still not where it needs to be, since breaches are still rampant, but I agree that centralisation of control is worrying. With man in the middle attacks, too much centralisation is broken, but no one computer can guard against what it's not been already instructed to protect itself from, so some centralisation is necessary to accomplish this.
Where as I have gone the other way. I used to use my ipad constantly, but now using it less and less, because of the restrictions around file system, lack of multiple windowed environments.
Something new is fun to explore, but at the end of the day, they don't cut it for getting real work done.
A couple of better screens on two devices is something we should be happy about? One stagnant os (iOS) and one actually going backwards in speed and ease of use(os x)? A phone redesigned in two years to nothing new but a working antenna and Siri ( and boy does that work well..). iMacs with the same form factor, ergonomics, and that sordid glass glare layer since 2006? Mac pro with no usb3 in 2012?
That must take a special kind of concentration, to ignore all of the actual improvements, while only focusing on the most superficial of developments. Would you prefer new devices where all of the internals remain the same and the containers are radically different?
You know that every component in a device gains some small percent of greater capability and/or lower cost each year, that's really not all that impressive. Only after a couple years does the aggregate improvement become noticeable or lead to actual new real world capabilities.
Is Mountain Lion being released now because it is mature and feature-rich? No, it's because it's been a year and they want to release a new OS. I think the timeframe determined what is in the OS, and not the other way around like it used to be.
Good! As a software developer, I'd say that many many projects have been migrating for quite some time now to a tighter fixed iteration cycle, since it does improve quality and timeliness of feature release. Yes, it's less exciting, but everyone involved benefits.
It will be a hobby until it will be replaced with the real Apple TV, which will be a real television. A screen, with everything. Going to cost you $2000-3000 instead of $99. Sounds good? I bet it sounds good in Apple's ears. Apple always has a plan that smells... profit.
From Apple's past actions, I agree. But possibly the installed base of existing TVs is so great that they'll need to follow a dual strategy of their own TVs as well as a set top box.
I always thought the future was wearable computing, instead of displays where you have the trade-off of greater ability to see information with reduced portability. But at the same time, there remains a small stigma against glasses, and 3D movies have shown us the fatigue that comes from using these visual tricks. And the idea of a display for just one eye, ala Google Glass, worries me greatly for vision problems after prolonged use. On the other hand, if they can cover both eyes and adapt the focal point to force greater eye movement and focusing range than on a standard computer, then this might be even better for eyesight than what we currently have. Devil's in the details.
all the google fans say how cool google glass is but no one can seem to figure out why its cool or any practical use for it in everyday life. for iphone and ipad there is a practical use that can save you money in a lot of cases.
WTF does google glass do except present data to you that in a lot of cases you don't really need unless you're a retard who needs navigation in normal life
Walking around on the street it seems a tad unnecessary for me, but I could see someone who needs personal assistance being helped by it. As a replacement for having several 30" displays on my desktop, that would be killer.
where do you people come from? the Devry school of buziness?
