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Apple to Launch iOS-Enabled iMac With Touch Interface?

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Apr 12, 2001
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LOOPRumors reports that it has received information claiming that Apple will be holding a special media event within the next 60 days to introduce a new iMac running both Mac OS X and an iOS touch interface.
LOOPRumors received a tidbit of information today suggesting Apple is planning to develop a hybrid OS into their next iMac. The iMac should be equipped with both Mac OS X and a touch interface for iOS.
Click to expand...
LOOPRumors has not been a frequent source of rumors over the past few years, and even when it did publish a higher volume of rumors, its track record was fairly spotty. Consequently, we are putting this item on Page 2 for interest and discussion.

The rumor does have some connections to earlier reports from other sources, however, including a report in the Taiwanese media claiming that Apple will be launching a 22-inch touchscreen iMac in the second half of this year.

The concept of a touch-enabled layer for iOS on top of the traditional Mac OS X was also raised earlier this year in a piece from The New York Times quoting a former senior Apple engineer. The engineer posed the possibility of an iOS layer as an alternative to a full touch-enabled Mac OS X due to the technical difficulties in making such a transition for Apple's Mac operating system.

Article Link: Apple to Launch iOS-Enabled iMac With Touch Interface?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/06/22/apple-to-launch-ios-enabled-imac-with-touch-interface/
Who wants to be touching a vertically standing screen all the time, that's tiring!

Maybe this is why we didn't see OS X 10.7 info because it might include support for this...

I was actually hoping to see a completely new mac Pro with new very high res screens and wireless trackpad.
 
I wouldn't mind an iOS-type OS on an iMac as long as it had some more features of a full-fledged desktop OS. As in:

-Multiple Users
-Printing
-Some kind of file system
-More apps of a creative side (ie movie editing, word processing, programming, etc.) instead of just media consuming apps

Note: this list is not exhaustive; there are many more features I'd like that I just can't think of at the moment.

Plus, some games/apps will need to be done, specifically those that need the accelerometers. I don't think people would want to swing around a 20/30 pound computer. But that would be a good way to make more money; people keep breaking them so they'll have to pay for repairs/new ones.

Snowcat001 said:
Who wants to be touching a vertically standing screen all the time, that's tiring!

Maybe this is why we didn't see OS X 10.7 info because it might include support for this...

I was actually hoping to see a completely new mac Pro with new very high res screens and wireless trackpad.
Click to expand...

I doubt 10.7 will be such an overhaul. Probably more like Mac OS X 11.0 or a totally new naming scheme.
 
guzhogi said:
I wouldn't mind an iOS-type OS on an iMac as long as it had some more features of a full-fledged desktop OS. As in:

-Multiple Users
-Printing
-Some kind of file system
-More apps of a creative side (ie movie editing, word processing, programming, etc.) instead of just media consuming apps

Note: this list is not exhaustive; there are many more features I'd like that I just can't think of at the moment.

Plus, some games/apps will need to be done, specifically those that need the accelerometers. I don't think people would want to swing around a 20/30 pound computer. But that would be a good way to make more money; people keep breaking them so they'll have to pay for repairs/new ones.
Click to expand...



Maybe it's not an iMac, maybe its really a tv??? No need to reinvent the iMac when it has it's own purpose. Would we see an iMacPro to replace the MacPro.
 
As long as it has OSX (or whatever the next is) underneath, always, then I have no problems with an integrated iOS layer in OSX. In fact, I would much rather see dashboard disappear and iOS take its place, because let's face it; dashboard is worthless due to its horrible implementation.

Let's make that a prediction, shall we?

If this comes to fruition I see dashboard getting the boot and the iOS overlay taking its place, but only on touch enabled macs.

Can someone say new touch enabled cinema display, as well as the new "track pad gadget" being released? This would make perfect sense, if this rumor were true.
 
iOS and Mac OS will merge. Very slowly over the years. Eventually, I see OS X dying out and becoming a comapatibility mode like Classic, as iOS (which is still OS X at heart anyway) becomes the mainstream OS. But this will take a LONG time.

As that happens, I expect Apple desktops will evolve into flat screens that lie on the surface in front of you—maybe slanted a bit, but not vertical (though they could tilt up for passive movie viewing). This sounds great to me! I can imagine Photoshop etc. with a whole new UI, and a future iOS adapted to big screens by allowing multiple apps on-screen at once. (And keyboards will probably be standard—these are production machines used for mass content creation, and with a need for shortcuts. But mice will be optional, since only “old” Mac software will use them.)

These machines will be like pro/prosumer versions of the iPad, used for totally different purposes. Eventually. 5 years? Will they even be called Macs? (I suspect they will be—and fair enough, if they have an OS X compatibility mode.)

In the meantime, I don’t see conventional iMacs with touchscreens. Touch on a vertical surface is a harmless gimmick at best (ask HP). And they give you Popeye Arm Syndrome!

popeye.jpg


That leaked desktop touchpad, though, sounds great—I hope it ships!
 
The form factor of an iMac just doesn't work nicely with the general way iOS is meant to be used. As mentioned by moneyman, there seems to be a rough adaptation for it if it's used in conjunction with a touch pad, but this still doesn't seem very likely. The only platform that would benefit largely with an iOS layer would be the MacBook line, which could easily enough use a touch-screen interface directly on the existing display without worrying about tired arms. However, this brings up another issue: It would cannibalize iPad sales and blur the defining line for that "intermediate" category of devices between iPhone and Mac that Jobs just finished touting about.

So in summation, my opinion is that it's highly unlikely.
 
Just from a pragmatic standpoint...

Fingerprints on the screen would be difficult to get around - even with Apple's "oleophobicc" display. Fingerprints still show.

Secondly - why? Is taking your hand off of a mouse to touch the safari icon on the screen somehow easier than just clicking on it with the cursor? Is there some advantage to typing by touching the screen rather than a keyboard?

Personally, I don't see much advantage to having a touch interface on any device that isn't portable.
 
I don't see this happening in the next year or two, and certainly not in the next 60 days.

I agree with some others that the implementation of a dual operating system would be clunky and I can't imagine Apple making such a mash up. Apple is all about simplicity, and I don't see this happening until they can make a simple user interface.

I also think the current design of the iMac would be horrible for a touch interface since its vertical, and a touch interface iMac would need to be flat or slightly slanted.
 
Apple's answer to HP Touchsmart?

amarcus said:
Then what was the point in the iPad?
Click to expand...

I think the question should be - what would be the point of the iOS layer?

It's not like OS/X has no program support. Which would people rather run - the full OS/X iWork programs or the limited iOS versions on their desktop? And as others pointed out - some iOS programs require hardware support (GPS, accelerometers, etc) that an iMac wouldn't have or need.

iOS as a replacement for Dashboard? Maybe. I can see some apps replacing Dashboard programs and being more useful.

iOS could be used as a "front-end" for touch and gesture support, much the same way as HP has their touch-designed programs on top of Windows 7 for their all-in-one Touchsmart PC's.

Instead of touching the screen, the rumored Magic Pad, along with the current Magic Mouse brings full gesture support to iMac via the iOS layer. So, you would have a Magic Pad, a small wireless keyboard, and the Magic Mouse in front of you, and navigate that way.

But - will iAds come to the desktop now?
 
guzhogi said:
I wouldn't mind an iOS-type OS on an iMac as long as it had some more features of a full-fledged desktop OS. As in:

-Multiple Users
-Printing
-Some kind of file system
-More apps of a creative side (ie movie editing, word processing, programming, etc.) instead of just media consuming apps

Note: this list is not exhaustive; there are many more features I'd like that I just can't think of at the moment.

Plus, some games/apps will need to be done, specifically those that need the accelerometers. I don't think people would want to swing around a 20/30 pound computer. But that would be a good way to make more money; people keep breaking them so they'll have to pay for repairs/new ones.
Click to expand...

Makes no sense what so ever. First of all who wants to be touching some vertical display all day long. Second (or another first...) none of the OS X apps would work. This makes no sense. There is already a iPad available. Why make another iPad and call it iMac.
 
Sounds OK - run the apps on your apple mobile as your desktop.

As long as iOS didn't replace OSX.... many people would be pissed if desktop apps were controlled by Apple.
 
Gorilla Arm - it's in Wikipedia

From Wikipedia on "touch screens" -

'The proposition is that human arm held in an unsupported horizontal position rapidly becomes fatigued and painful, the so-called "gorilla arm". It is often cited as a prima facie example of what not to do in ergonomics.'

It doesn't really matter whether a touch-screen iMac runs Mac OS X or iOS. It will be uncomfortable to use for more than a few minutes. Unless the screen is more horizontal than vertical. And just look how well that worked out for Microsoft Surface (aka Big-Ass Table.)

So I'm not sure exactly how beneficial a touch-screen iMac would be for Apple or its developers or its users. If it runs iOS, would there be yet another class of apps in the App Store? For full-screen iMac apps? And if it runs Mac OS X, wouldn't it be better to simply replace the Magic Mouse with the Magic Trackpad? (And keep the non-touch screen?)

If anything, I see a convergence of the user experience of Apple's MacBooks and desktop Macs. The keyboards are already virtually identical. Maybe the Magic Mouse was just an interim step toward the Magic Trackpad...
 
moneyman118 said:
Maybe it's not an iMac, maybe its really a tv??? No need to reinvent the iMac when it has it's own purpose. Would we see an iMacPro to replace the MacPro.
Click to expand...

A touch screen computer with iOS as an optional layer would be cool. Basically a supercharged touch capable dashboard would rock.
 
SwiftLives said:
Secondly - why? Is taking your hand off of a mouse to touch the safari icon on the screen somehow easier than just clicking on it with the cursor? Is there some advantage to typing by touching the screen rather than a keyboard?
Click to expand...

Exactly. When did the keyboard and mouse become public enemy number 1? These technologies have been perfected over years and years of real use.

If Apple introduces a touch iMac it's clearly a money grab, to sucker the public into thinking touch is somehow superior when in fact it is vastly inferior on a desktop monitor.
 
would be interesting to see it in action. I'm not sure I'd like touching my iMac screen, in fact right now I HATE fingers near my iMac's screen let alone a fingerprint. I'll have to see it before I completely bash it though :)
 
ValSalva said:
Exactly. When did the keyboard and mouse become public enemy number 1? These technologies have been perfected over years and years of real use.

If Apple introduces a touch iMac it's clearly a money grab, to sucker the public into thinking touch is somehow superior when in fact it is vastly inferior on a desktop monitor.
Click to expand...

Yeah. This story does absolutely nothing for me.

My interest in "touch screen desktops" is so low I can't even describe it.
 
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