Apple's iPhone OS X on Subnotebook

[MacRumors]

More details from analyst Shaw Wu's report about flash based Apple laptops indicate that he believes that Apple may deploy the iPhone's stripped down version of OS X on the rumored sub-notebook.

"The 'mini' Mac OS X will be used. In terms of software, our sources indicate that Apple is leaning towards using the same "mini" version of Mac OS X used in the upcoming iPhone. We believe this will be particularly important as it has a much smaller footprint and runs with as little as 4 GB of space."

Apple's iPhone is expected to launch June and incorporates a touch-interface. Apple has also been advertising for "Senior Panel Process Engineer" to design and develop advanced multi-touch panels. There has been no direct hints that Apple will use this in future laptops or displays, but Mac fans have certainly been speculating on this possibility.

 

[Chaszmyr]

If Apple is to use this stripped down version of OSX on an ultra mobile PC, I think it'd probably be a really small computer, probably even a little smaller than a UMPC. If the screen were large enough, I don't see why they wouldn't want to use an operating system that had a complete Finder and window management system.

 

[skone]

i wonder if it will support adobe cs3... i mean why would anyone want to lug around a sub notebook when you might as well lug around a 15" macbook pro ... unless this thing fits in your pocket. or no, is there a niche market for that

but i'm sure apple has thinked this through, maybe the new ipod is the new "sub notebook"

 

[toneloco2881]

If Apple is to use this stripped down version of OSX on an ultra mobile PC, I think it'd probably be a really small computer, probably smaller than a UMPC.

Agreed. The allure of the sub-notebook device is the small form-factor while still retaining the complete OS X experience. I can see certain physical features being omitted, i.e optical drive, but I would expect software features to remain intact. The iPhone is the smaller UMPC to a certain extent. Does anyone actually take this Shaw Wu seriously? Seems he just continuously regurgitates information, that he reads on the rumor forums.

 

[Starship77]

Well, it´s smaller than I tought...

Not the 12 inch macbook pro for sure!

But it may be coming sooner if it´s something like this, because it don´t got to have a large amount of NAND.

 

[asphalt-proof]

I'm trying to imagine where in the market this product would fit that wouldn't be merely a novelty item. Any ideas?

 

[Chaszmyr]

I'm trying to imagine where in the market this product would fit that wouldn't be merely a novelty item. Any ideas?

Not really. Sounds like a novelty device to me, and therefore I'm very skeptical. Just because it's a novelty device doesn't mean it couldn't sell. I mean, people like small things. However, these days Apple only seems to like to make products that they believe enhance your digital lifestyle.

 

[ricksbrain]

I'd love something small for teaching at university. Everything I do is Keynote-based. A small device would make my life much more convenient-- I wouldn't be developing scoliosis carrying so much stuff around.

 

[Small White Car]

I'm trying to imagine where in the market this product would fit that wouldn't be merely a novelty item. Any ideas?

Take the iPhone. Make the whole thing twice the size. Take out the phone (and the need for a contract with a cell phone company), and charge $100 more than the iPhone.

I'd strongly consider buying that instead of an iPhone and just keep using my old, simple phone for making calls while I use this thing for everything else.

 

[0tim0]

In Soviet Russia...

... they say "Nyet!"

This would make no sense at all. That's why this guy is an analyst and not an engineer.

--t

 

[Chaszmyr]

Take the iPhone. Make the whole thing twice the size. Take out the phone (and the need for a contract with a cell phone company), and charge $100 more than the iPhone.

I'd strongly consider buying that instead of an iPhone and just keep using my old, simple phone for making calls while I use this thing for everything else.

Any bigger than the iPhone would be far too big to carry around in your pocket, and therefore would not be nearly as handy, in my opinion.

 

[boss1]

Well I'm pretty sure it was Tim Cook or Jobs that just said recently to investors during a call that they were not jumping into any new product categories for while.

I really think Wu has it wrong on this one. A sub notebook is very possible as it falls in line with an existing product category (macbook), but a sub notebook running the iPhone OS? no.

The iPhone OS X is impressive in that its running on a phone but a notebook would need to be able to install 3rd party apps, recognize periphs usb, ethernet, and devices (CDdrive). Pretty much a full fledge version of OS X.

UNLESS apple is developing and marketing the iPhone OS as "OS X Mobile" and develops OS X Mobile to be elaborate and Featured enough to be able to handle some of the tasks and apps that the full version can. Well that would just be grand, as the same Mobile OS X is on the iPhone as well as the Sub Book. But what are the chances of that.

 

[AndyR]

Mac PDA minus the phone/ipod?

 

[Small White Car]

Any bigger than the iPhone would be far too big to carry around in your pocket, and therefore would not be nearly as handy, in my opinion.

Well, for me the choice would be this thing I described or a Macbook. It seems to me that something twice the size of an iPhone would still be a lot easier to carry than a Macbook.

 

[Darkroom]

i always though it would be cool if apple turned the iMac into a hybrid desktop/tablet that one could detach the touch-screen from the rest of the computer...

forgive me for dreaming...

la la la

 

[Digital Skunk]

People People... Think Different

This new device is the new multimedia remote for the AppleTV and your mac. You can sit in your couch and download movies to it from the iTunes Store and then stream them to the TV and control everything from this ultra small high powered remote. Now you don't have to use an actual notebook.

Besides... 4GB of space for an ultraportable device ... might as well be the next Apple PDA to replace the Newton. I don't see much happening with an UPMac that has 4GB of space (same as iPhone) that costs $1000 or more just because it now has graphics memory a gig of ram and an Intel processor.

As a matter of fact... just take out the NAND and put in a 1.8" HDD and call it the next iPod.

 

[Digital Skunk]

i always though it would be cool if apple turned the iMac into a hybrid desktop/tablet that one could detach the touch-screen from the rest of the computer...

forgive me for dreaming...

la la la

That may not be a bad idea given what OWC did to the MacBook to make the ModBook. It sounds nice in my head and Apple would be the one to do it. I would only be concerned with the screen sizes...

Could you imagine a 24" laptop

 

[Evangelion]

i wonder if it will support adobe cs3... i mean why would anyone want to lug around a sub notebook when you might as well lug around a 15" macbook pro

Why would it have to support CS3? Your argument seems to be that "if it doesn't run PhotoShop, why not get a real computer instead?". Well, not everyone uses Photshop. There would still be tons of uses for such device.

 

[Eraserhead]

Could you imagine a 24" laptop

Well Dell have a 20" laptop.

 

[Sandfleaz]

I don't know what the product might be, but the whole multi-touch thing is just to cool to be limited to the iPhone.

 

[mikeinternet]

I don't know what the product might be, but the whole multi-touch thing is just to cool to be limited to the iPhone.

i second that.

didn't jobs make it obvious at the keynote that multitouch was for more that just the iphone?

 

[elmimmo]

The 'mini' Mac OS X will be used. […] We believe this will be particularly important as it has a much smaller footprint and runs with as little as 4 GB of space.

An operating system that runs with as little as 4GB of space! There is really a landmark there!!!!

 

[RollTide]

As a student, I find this to be pretty cool. I would definetly get one if the price is right.

 

[strydr]

I'd love to see a device that has Flash (or NAND) based storage, no optical drive, and uses multi-touch. Tablet style would be nice too (even convertable style). Then it could have a regular keyboard, but with the option to use the virtual keyboard (with multi-touch). Now make it "12 or smaller, and put a huge battery in it. I'd buy one of these as soon as they were announced.

Currently, I leave my MBP in the truck, ready for work on a moments' notice. I can't drag the iMac to bed with me, so this would a perfect "ultra-portable" Give it enough power to play back movies smooth, handle cover flow, and remote desktop (as well as remote control abilities).

Alright Apple, my credit card needs to be abused again. give it to me.

 

[tuartboy]

I don't know what the product might be, but the whole multi-touch thing is just to cool to be limited to the iPhone.

Too cool, maybe. But what would you really use it for? I don't see how it is useful in any other market than the current ultra-mobile products. No one wants to move their hands from the keyboard/mouse to go touch something on the screen on a desktop. And I hardly ever leave the keyboard for the trackpad on my powerbook. A touch screen on either of those makes no sense to me as it would actually slow me down because of the large amounts of hand movement.

Also, I don't see why people are so amazed by the fact that OS X is running on a phone. At its core, OS X is really just Darwin BSD and the Aqua UI. Other companies have had *nix with custom UIs running on phones and mobile devices for nearly a decade and all apple had to do was come up another custom UI on top of darwin. The UI is amazing, but the concept of a desktop OS on a phone is nothing new. Just had to say it...