Mac OS X Lion Set for Summer 2011 Debut, Mac App Store to Launch Within 90 Days

[webpoet73]

Interesting update. I do like the "Mission Control" though the name is kind of odd... the launchpad (do I sense a space theme here, "launchpad", "mission control") is also sort of like a full-screen stack in grid view... I think it could be cool.

The App store will be successful. I don't see where it is required for an app to be distributed this way, and I could see the same apps there that were on the download page. It is a pain to keep apps up to date. I use an application called "App Fresh" that helps me keep my apps up to date. Having an Apple app to do that would be easier...

This was only a sneak peek... Nothing in-depth, so I will reserve full judgement until Apple does a full-on demo of the OS and announce other improvements/features.

 

[Dr McKay]

Not everyone likes to bend over and take it up the backside from jobs. Although it seems the vast majority of people here are more than willing to do what ever he wants. The intergration levels as they are at present are fine.

If you can't keep yourself save with applications you don't have the intelligence to be using a computer. Or have we got it wrong and you mean smoother?

Overall it is an OS for morons. just like the iPad is a iPod touch for morons with fat fingers. Are people really becoming so thick that they can't do anything for themselves. Apple certainly seems to think so.

The air update was fair enough, it was long overdue and got enough of an update to give it a slightly longer painful death.

Wow, I'm a PC and I can sense the burning hatred. I wasn't aware Mac OS was dying. Infact it seems to just be gaining ground and market share. I know we'll probably be dead and buried before Mac is the dominant platform . Steve even said this isn't his goal (although deep down I know he'd love to)

 

[tatonka]

The only thing that was remotely interesting is full screen apps .. besides that Lion looks pretty boring.

There is only one thing about the Mac Appsstore that I like and that is the collected update mechanism (assuming it works like it does for iOS). You don't have to shop around for updates for every app but they just come in automatically.

T.

 

[spillproof]

Label me unimpressed by that demo. While, Mission Control seems like a nice enhancement to Exposé, the rest didn't seem interesting to me. IMO. I'd have to see.

Did anyone notice that when they were demoing Lion, on the top right corner where spotlight and all that is, there was nothing but spotlight? Will the rest of it be moved in Lion?

Nope, Apple is moving the clock and all the signal icons to the new Dashboard. (Just kidding. I couldn't see Apple ditching that type of stuff.)

 

[birch25]

I just wanted to chime in and express my surprise that so many people in this thread heard "Mac App Store" and stopped listening. Sure, the store will not allow every single app, but as Steve said, literally seconds later, of course you will be able to install apps from third parties the exact same way you do now.

The App Store on the Mac will allow some devs to get the word out more easily about their work and act as a central point to perform app updates without checking each app individually. It's not a way to prevent certain applications from running on the OS.

 

[tatonka]

Wow, I'm a PC and I can sense the burning hatred. I wasn't aware Mac OS was dying. Infact it seems to just be gaining ground and market share. I know we'll probably be dead and buried before Mac is the dominant platform . Steve even said this isn't his goal (although deep down I know he'd love to)

Well MacOS is turning into iOS .. so in that sense the old, "open" MacOS is dying indeed. I think Steve actually wants to control more than he wants to be the dominant plattform.

T.

 

[limo79]

Do not be blind - the fact is that traditional computers like laptops/notebooks will be replaced very soon by tablets and smartphones. iPad was a first serious sign, OSX 10.7 is a second. I am pretty sure that Steve knows about it and they also know that today it is very hard to compete Apple with Acer, Asus, HP, Dell regarding laptops and workstations. The technology distance gap do not exist like it was in the past. Now Asus has the newest technologies before Apple and price is excellent.

 

[petvas]

I pretty much liked what I saw today. Mission control seems nice, the new app launcher is also a good way to organize apps, even if I won't use it that much. Most of my apps are on the dock. If I need to open an app that isn't on the dock, I just use spotlight to find my app instantly. I understand of course that many users don't use Spotlight.
The app store is really great. It provides us a centra location to search for apps. It also gives a central update mechanism. I don't want to rely on every single app, if they offer a update or not...for those that don't want to use the app store, well they don't have to..Others complain that they wont be trial versions..I am sure that developers will offer trial versions on their websites, so this is a non issue..and even if Apple doesn't approve an app, it will be made available via other means. The App store is good news!

The new gestures seem interesting. As a user of both the magic mouse and the magic trackpad, I am happy to see that Apple decided to put these devices to use.

 

[tseitz89]

I like the idea of a Mac App Store but it should be 100% to developers; apple.com/downloads is 100%

I think if they ever make it mandatory to get yours apps from the Mac App Store it would be to fight virus and such since Apple would only allow certain APIs and Kernal ext. However this is BAD look how the Mac failed horribly when it was a closed platform

 

[gwangung]

Not everyone likes to bend over and take it up the backside from jobs. Although it seems the vast majority of people here are more than willing to do what ever he wants. The intergration levels as they are at present are fine.

If you can't keep yourself save with applications you don't have the intelligence to be using a computer. Or have we got it wrong and you mean smoother?

Overall it is an OS for morons. just like the iPad is a iPod touch for morons with fat fingers. Are people really becoming so thick that they can't do anything for themselves. Apple certainly seems to think so.

The air update was fair enough, it was long overdue and got enough of an update to give it a slightly longer painful death.

This is someone that's going to be outsold and outhustled by a smarter competitor.

 

[great high wolf]

But you have no problem with them keeping you safe on the iPhone, right? I think it would be great if it was the same way on the Mac.

No, it would be a wasteland for me. I'd lose my favourite tweaks and mods, and by the time I've lost those, there's little holding me on the platform. I might not head to Windows, maybe Linux. But until they actually announce that it's going to happen, I'm going to assume it isn't. The backlash would be hideous.

But you'll need some decent antivirus if you go back to windows to keep you safe!

Antivirus won't block programs that don't live up to its moral compass.

 

[mutantteenager]

Mission Control looks like a confusing mess to me. Even the guy demoing was having obvious problems with gestures on the 'magic mouse'.

I think it's fair to say that a touch screen ipod/phone is not the same a full blown computer. Apple seem to be on some sort of auto-destruct, making what was once a clean and elegant OS into a clumsy counter-intuitive one.

Full screen is a great feature, but it's been available on selected applications for a while, and dare I say windows for donkey's years.

 

[cmChimera]

I don't see how this is the end for Mac OS and the beginning of the iOS takeover.....That said, I'm not terribly impressed with the features they showed that were exclusively Lion.I say exclusively, because there were plenty of things that I liked that weren't actually part of Lion. So far, the only thing I've seen of Lion it seems is Mission Control (which I think I love) Launchpad (which is utterly useless to me), and the fullscreen/spaces integration (which I like a lot). Not exactly the major update I was expecting, and doesn't even seem as significant as Snow Leopard which was sold for $30. Unless Apple shows me something more impressive, I'm going to buy this with a frown on my face(well I actually get it for free through my school, but still. Point is, I'm going to get it regardless.)

 

[osxhero]

App store a 10, the rest...a big yawn

The App store is a cool upgrade for sure! I can't wait to use it.

The rest of Lion is so basic and shy of what Apple usually does. I feel like we're seeing Apple's innovation take a definite step in the "slow" direction. Then again, perhaps they just got it all right the first time, and so innovation isn't necessary? I know that's what Bill Gates thought back in 95. Ha!

MacBook Air, awesome!

iLife, more yawning...but at least it's only $50.

 

[soup4you2]

I'm completely unimpressed. I saw the app store happening for OS X over a year ago. and the other technologies they introduced today I really dont care about and can live without.

I think this may be the first version of OS X that i'll skip. I will most likely be forced to skip it anyways, i'm sure they will find a way to exclude support for mac pro 1.1's. And i have no desire to upgrade my system. It works just fine. I am a bit surprised they didn't throw throw the buzz word 64-bit in there somewhere, after all they have been advertising it for their past 3 operating systems.

10.6 was pretty feature lack-tastic, the only real benefit was full 64bit support other than the kernel. If an app store, full screen, mission control and launchpad are all that Apple has lined up they are going to be hard-pressed to get the majority of consumers pony up the money for another lack-tastic operating system. keep in mind this is not going to be another $25 upgrade, or whatever it was they charged.. Apple will most likely charge the full amount of $120(approx.)

 

[3282868]

Forgive me for being too busy to have read all the comments if my statement has been addressed (I haven't even dissected the news from today). I'm a bit prematurely disappointed.

It seems OS X is slowly transforming into iOS X. I don't know how I feel about that prospect. OS's evolve, so certainly a smaller footprint, iOS-esque desktop system may be a good step forward. However it seems there is less emphasis on "power" systems for those who need focus on such issues as true 64-bit capable applications to fully utilize the multi-core/hyper-threaing hardware, as well as "Resolution Independence", ZFS to assist in the increasingly standard large file systems of present, a more unified GUI, slow utilization of multi-touch gestures into desktop systems, Grand Central/Cocoa and full OpenGL, and on and on.

From first glance, it truly appears Apple is bent on iOS implementation by moving it into the desktop platform. I miss the days when Leopard/Snow Leopard beta's were leaked that had interesting features that were later dropped, from small things as "Answering Machine" in iChat that would allow video/audio recordings to and from systems (I liked the possibility of the home desktop becoming an all in one hub for video/audio communications, entertainment, work and home security) to full ZFS implementation. It seems those days may be done, and OS X will now be forever known as "iOS 'Lion'".

I hear a meow. not a roar.

 

[chuckles:)]

Mission control looks awesome, and has a great name.

I also really liked the brief glimpse of an ipad style disappearing scrollbar that showed up during the demo. That being said, they should have chosen someone with less shaky hands to demonstrate.

 

[sillypooh]

This looks very rushed to me. Everyone knows that their software power was placed on iOS for quite some time, I guess I didn't think it was that much of a shift.

For the first time in years, I don't feel the need to update to the new OS X at all! I've got an iPad, why would I want that simplified crap on my Mac?? Launchpad? So many people use the Dock as their launchpad, Apple pushes them to work like that already (I only keep running apps there).

I certainly hope there'll be WAAYYYYY more reasons to upgrade. If it was up to me, I wouldn't have shown this stuff today. It's too little incentive.

 

[callme]

Love the Full Screen feature!

Launch Pad is pointless...

App Store is great but it isn't Lion exclusive so it is kind of irrelevant in this thread...

Mission Control is OK I guess... but certainly not wow...

I hope there is MUCH more to come in X.7 otherwise I might skip it just like skipped SL...

Bit of an idiot then missing SL and L.

 

[callme]

Will Devs start charging more for Apps you bought from them b/c of the 30% take?

I personally don't like the idea of the App Store b/c just like the one for iOS it doesn't help with trials which most softwares offer. I also like keeping my installer file and serial so that when I wipe my machine for maintenance or a new OS or a new machine, I can download the latest version or use my latest installer and I have my serials. I don't trust Migration Assistant, and I want more control over what I install on a newer machine or what to leave behind that isn't compatible with a newer OS. I also don't want to restore from Time Machine wholesale for the same reasons. The App Store leads to convenience but seems like it can be problematic later.

Just as with the iPhone App Store, you can download purchased as many times as you like FOR FREE.

 

[maz-o]

Sorry I just had to.

I really loved most of the new features of Lion (after sitting through the boring iLife presentation), but I really can't wrap my head around the Launchpad thing.

Whenever I want to start an app that isn't sitting on my dock, I use the quick command for Spotlight, type in the app I want to use, hit enter and get it to load immediately. All this in under a second. Who wants to browse around all those icons on a Mac to load an app? Youve probably got tons more apps than on your iDevice. Even more stupid (sorry) is the folder feature, I find it even more anniying to find the app I want if I have to browse different folders and junk. On your iDevice that's handy since you've got so little screen space, but on a Mac I find the whole thing utterly useless.

I may be jumping the gun here, but for now I don't see me using the Launchpad at all.

The Mission Control (apart from a stupid name) on the other hand looks amazing, an improved Exposé, love it!


PS. Looking forward to seeing Youtube and Vimeo fill up with thousands of "cool" movie preview vids, made with only 15 different templates.

 

[callme]

Well.. now im worried.

I hear in the video, "this is not the only place but we thing its the best", or something like that, I guess this mean I can sell my app normally outside the Mac App store, right?.
Now I wonder how is gonna be the acceptance process for the mac apps, because for the iOS apps Apple its very strict, if I give a complete different look and feel to my app, customized scrollers, tabs, blah balh blha, will apple approve it?, or will they say/.. "hey your app doesn't run on landscape mode".. or better yet, " you app doesn't support full screen mode".. so what should I with the app Im making for already a year? go and recode, to make it Apple compliant?...


G.

No you just sell it somewhere else, just as you would have done before the Mac App Store appeared!

 

[G4DP]

Wow, I'm a PC and I can sense the burning hatred. I wasn't aware Mac OS was dying. Infact it seems to just be gaining ground and market share. I know we'll probably be dead and buried before Mac is the dominant platform . Steve even said this isn't his goal (although deep down I know he'd love to)

What has this got to do with my post? Nothing.

I said the OS was becoming a system for morons. Nowhere does it mention the end of the OS. As other posters have mentions, Apple are helping to create a generation of people who are either too dumb or too lazy to think for themselves.

There was nothing about how the operating system itself has developed. No news on Apple moving everything to 64bit etc.

If eye candy floats your boat then i'm sure this is another update to waste $129 on. They dropped the ball with Leopard, and then gave is a patch in Snow Leopard. They have had 4 years to work on this and we get 'Facetime' and a fancy new Expose. All in all so far we can gather it has taken Apple 4 years to build a half-arsed version of Skype.

 

[elppa]

They really need to rearchitect the OS itself.

- cloud storage (web, ZFS, etc..)
- database filesystem (the iPhoto/Aperture/iTunes sharing of data is a clunky example of that, but shows what database filesystems can do)
- threading everywhere
- resolution independence (GPU-based display)

much of the fundamental design needs to be addressed, and they had years to really work on it..

You raise a number of good points. I was nodding at cloud and you had me all the way through to res independence.

It's not only a good accessibility and usability feature it also gives Apple more hardware options. 1080p on a 13" Pro — sure, you just get more detail!

Customers could pick the high dpi option with confidence that they don't need good eyesight to read the small text. But they would get more crispness and detail when looking at their photos.

 

[cmaier]

I may be jumping the gun here, but for now I don't see me using the Launchpad at all.

The fact that you're here means it isn't aimed at you. It's aimed at my wife and my parents and everyone else who owns i-devices but not macs, and who would appreciate the consistent interface and simplicity of something like launchpad. My wife has used spotlight exactly zero times in the two years she's had a mac. She puts everything on the doc. Launchpad is a much better alternative for her.