What will come after Mavericks?

[skaertus]

OS X Mavericks will bring some long-awaited and useful functions (Maps, Finder's tabs, support for multiple monitors), but it's not really set to blow everything away.

iOS 7, on the other hand, is a brand-new thing, and a complete departure from iOS 6. But Apple is said to have focused on iOS 7 this year, meaning that some developers were moved away from the development of Mavericks to work on it.

So, next year, can we expect Apple to focus on OS X? Can we expect the OS X after Mavericks to be a game changer like iOS 7 is supposed to be? What do you expect from the 2014 release of OS X?

I know Mavericks is not even out yet, but, hey, what do you think?

 

[ElectronGuru]

The basic issue is that computer OSs are larger and take more time and resources to turn. Game changers won't happen until OS11, and apple seems quite content with 10 dot upgrades, and alluded to more in the last keynote. Not to say there won't be fun and cool, but I'm expecting each 10 dot to mostly continue focus on additional iOS integration and hardware facilities.

 

[skaertus]

The basic issue is that computer OSs are larger and take more time and resources to turn. Game changers won't happen until OS11, and apple seems quite content with 10 dot upgrades, and alluded to more in the last keynote. Not to say there won't be fun and cool, but I'm expecting each 10 dot to mostly continue focus on additional iOS integration and hardware facilities.

I don't know if you've noticed, but Apple seems to have already dropped the 10.9 from Mavericks. It seems to be focusing on the name of the OS, and not on the version number. Said that, I don't know if OS 11, or XI, or whatever, will ever come to exist. Apple will probably stick to OS X with some cool name after it. I expect minor upgrades, and not major upgrades.

But Jony Ive has taken the development of iOS and OS X. iOS has already been redesigned as of version 7 which will launch probably in September. I guess the design of OS X should be far from Ive's ideals. If there is some focus on OS X, Jony Ive may opt to redesign it to provide a better customer experience.

I'm not talking about re-engineering the whole OS, or any substantial changes to the code. I'm talking about design, ergonomics and user experience, which ends up making a lot of difference (although Linux enthusiasts like to call it eye-candy, which is perhaps one of the main reasons why Linux will never become popular).

 

[iLive]

There's are some posts in here you might find interesting.

 

[Krazy Bill]

I wouldn't get my hopes up. Only 15% of Apple's revenue comes from OS X products these days. And considering the complex logistics involved in bringing all the variants that use OSX to fruition every refresh, I can't see them dedicating more resources to chase a dwindling market. I certainly wouldn't given the numbers.

It's all about iOS baby! Fortunately, you'll still need OSX to develop this platform.

Any major OSX changes from now on will need to be pushed by a high-level champion of Macs inside of Apple with some serious clout. (And the ability to sway the Board of Directors that it's a market worth spending time on).

Am I bitter or what?

 

[Sky Blue]

Apple will never focus on OS X again, it's not where the money is.

I do expect the next version of OS X to be redesigned to like OS 7/iCloud.com.

Probably, see Siri too.

 

[ElectronGuru]

I don't know if you've noticed, but Apple seems to have already dropped the 10.9 from Mavericks. It seems to be focusing on the name of the OS, and not on the version number.

I've not noticed it but now that you mention it, this looks like a trend long in the making. Even doing a google search for os questions, starting with 10.7 yields lower quality hits than say Lion.

Said that, I don't know if OS 11, or XI, or whatever, will ever come to exist. Apple will probably stick to OS X with some cool name after it. I expect minor upgrades, and not major upgrades.

The trend is that each new OS gets larger and takes more time to developed. The point at which it makes sense to start over with an 11 is if they wanted a clean slate, say making a desktop version of iOS. In some ways, such a move is like a fire, cleaning out years of accumulated waste. But like a fire, it also creates a lot of fear and change and work (obsolete hardware anyone?). So it should be carefully considered.

But Jony Ive has taken the development of iOS and OS X. iOS has already been redesigned as of version 7 which will launch probably in September. I guess the design of OS X should be far from Ive's ideals.

My guess is that with falling market share on the phone, they prioritized Ive to the iOS software and another team to a low cost hardware option. Mac marketshare is already small, so it took a back seat. But a year or two when things are stable, Mac os should get more attention.

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I wouldn't get my hopes up. Only 15% of Apple's revenue comes from OS X products these days. And considering the complex logistics involved in bringing all the variants that use OSX to fruition every refresh, I can't see them dedicating more resources to chase a dwindling market. I certainly wouldn't given the numbers.

I'm not ready to throw in the towel on traditional computers. Their reason for being and then growth for a long time was the Internet. Pads have taken that away. But their real strength is versatility and adaptability. Every time something new comes along, PCs get it first. The market needs to shrink back down (loosing at least one major playes) and then idle a bit until the next thing comes along. And in the mean time, if the only people buying PCs are content creators, that still a good market,

 

[TennisandMusic]

iOS 7 isn't set to blow everything away either.

There really isn't a lot going on with Apple's software. Being fooled by eye candy betrays a fundamental lack of understanding of how operating systems are constructed, and what is involved. There really isn't much different, despite Apple's marketing. Would you really think massive changes occur every year, or quickly?

Apple feels like a company whose software engineering is falling behind and is unable to keep their products properly up to date.

 

[skaertus]

I wouldn't get my hopes up. Only 15% of Apple's revenue comes from OS X products these days. And considering the complex logistics involved in bringing all the variants that use OSX to fruition every refresh, I can't see them dedicating more resources to chase a dwindling market. I certainly wouldn't given the numbers.

It's all about iOS baby! Fortunately, you'll still need OSX to develop this platform.

Any major OSX changes from now on will need to be pushed by a high-level champion of Macs inside of Apple with some serious clout. (And the ability to sway the Board of Directors that it's a market worth spending time on).

Am I bitter or what?

While OS X represents only 15% of Apple's revenue (I haven't checked the numbers, but they seem reasonable), it's still a huge business and definitely worth spending some money on it. Apple will certainly put much more effort on iOS, but OS X will also end up getting something.

 

[skaertus]

I've not noticed it but now that you mention it, this looks like a trend long in the making. Even doing a google search for os questions, starting with 10.7 yields lower quality hits than say Lion.

Yes, definitely.

The trend is that each new OS gets larger and takes more time to developed. The point at which it makes sense to start over with an 11 is if they wanted a clean slate, say making a desktop version of iOS. In some ways, such a move is like a fire, cleaning out years of accumulated waste. But like a fire, it also creates a lot of fear and change and work (obsolete hardware anyone?). So it should be carefully considered.

I don't know about that. A desktop version of iOS? May happen, but what will happen to existing OS X software? That would be a delicate move to make.

I guess Apple won't make iOS for Mac. It would rather develop the iPad to take over the Macs. Macs have mechanical parts and hinges, and that is not where Apple is heading to in terms of design.

My guess is that with falling market share on the phone, they prioritized Ive to the iOS software and another team to a low cost hardware option. Mac marketshare is already small, so it took a back seat. But a year or two when things are stable, Mac os should get more attention.

Ive is responsible for both iOS and OS X now. So, while the iOS has the priority, OS X will get some treatment later on, and I expect it to happen next year.

I'm not ready to throw in the towel on traditional computers. Their reason for being and then growth for a long time was the Internet. Pads have taken that away. But their real strength is versatility and adaptability. Every time something new comes along, PCs get it first. The market needs to shrink back down (loosing at least one major playes) and then idle a bit until the next thing comes along. And in the mean time, if the only people buying PCs are content creators, that still a good market,

The iPad is a neat device, and it has evolved well since its original release, but it still doesn't hold a candle to a computer running either Windows or OS X. You can't really multitask on an iPad; you can't edit complex documents; you don't have a real file system; the mouse pointer is much more precise than the fingers; the tablet form is still not very comfortable for desktop work.

As much as Apple may want the iPad to replace the Mac, and for tablets to replace computers (it will get the lion share if it happens), it's not so easy.

 

[BenTrovato]

I tend to agree that next year will introduce a more robust and more expensive upgrade. I don't think Apple is as stupid as some people make them out to be. They have made their upgrades about the hardware (retina & battery life) versus the software and I think that is the right choice for now.

We are in a tricky era in software. People don't want radical change. I do, and I bet some other power users do, but for the most part, people (right now) do not want big changes. They want it to look pretty and they want it to work.

 

[ElectronGuru]

I don't know about that. A desktop version of iOS? May happen, but what will happen to existing OS X software? That would be a delicate move to make.

Any new OS sufficiently new to call 11 would require software be substantially updated, if not rewritten. It's what happened with 10. You could launch 9 apps, but only inside a 9 emulator. This kind of break is a massive PITA but it also allows for the degree of change needed to start a new wave of PC usefulness.