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Will Apple's Large-Screened Foldable be an iPad or a Mac?

racerhomie said:
Craig Federighi clearly said multiple times in BOLD that Apple will never merge macOS & iPadOS. I think the same goes for hybrid devices.
Click to expand...

The funny thing is, Steve Jobs denied that Apple would ever develop a phone, too... until it was time to actually release the product. Then he (and Apple) made history.

Bungaree.Chubbins said:
For the transformable crowd, how does the switch from iPadOS to macOS happen?
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Noting that others have already addressed this in part... I would only add that a "hybrid" OS wouldn't necessarily have to "switch phases" at all, nor does it have to be fully either one or the other; it can be an entirely different beast all by itself -- and even as such, it could still run both iPadOS and macOS software. Why not? MacOS already does.

Public declarations to the contrary aside, the groundwork for a hybrid/merged OS has already been laid. Thus, I think this is what we're really all talking about:

foldOS

You heard it here first, folks. :cool:
 
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I'd much rather have a Macbook with a touchscreen that can fold into tablet mode. I have a windows laptop that does that and I love it so much, literally the only reason I have that instead of a macbook is the lack of those features.

Something like this:
61UGE9cZVlL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg


Of course Apple would probably never do that because it would cut into iPad Pro sales.
 
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As someone who mainly uses MacOS on a desktop, I’d invite this device into my home. Being able to take it portable with touch keys or potential go landscape flat and sync my MKB/MM sounds enticing. And yes I hope it’s expensive AF!
 
zarmanto said:
Noting that others have already addressed this in part... I would only add that a "hybrid" OS wouldn't necessarily have to "switch phases" at all, nor does it have to be fully either one or the other; it can be an entirely different beast all by itself -- and even as such, it could still run both iPadOS and macOS software. Why not? MacOS already does.
Click to expand...
The difference is that MacOS has the menubar items (file, edit, etc.) as a fundamental part of the OS. So while its easy for Macs to run self-contained iPad apps, running Mac apps in iPad OS wont work unless applications are rewritten to have a menubar in the app window like Windows does.
 
darngooddesign said:
The difference is that MacOS has the menubar items (file, edit, etc.) as a fundamental part of the OS. So while its easy for Macs to run self-contained iPad apps, running Mac apps in iPad OS wont work unless applications are rewritten to have a menubar in the app window like Windows does.
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Quite true. This, and other reasons, are why I don't really think that either OS is a particularly strong fit for this new device. And there is precedence for Apple to proceed down the path of a not-either-but-somehow-a-little-of-both kind of solution: That's essentially what they've done for iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, watchOS and visionOS -- and others. All of these operating systems use the same BSD underpinnings as macOS, each customized to the specific needs of the target products but each taking just a little bit of influence from Apple's other products... and of course as we all know, it has become a two way street: macOS is now routinely influenced by new ideas within these other OSes as well.

My previous comment was of course somewhat tongue in cheek: I don't necessarily expect it to be named "foldOS"... but fold or no fold, a new high-end-touch-based-all-screen device would by necessity inherit a great deal from iOS -- while the higher tier nature of this particular device under discussion practically begs to also inherit some things from macOS, and likely visionOS as well.

Whatever it is that's coming will likely be too expensive for my budget... but I am excited to see it come, nonetheless. To paraphrase a classic '80s ad campaign: "This is not your father's Mac."
 
zarmanto said:
Quite true. This, and other reasons, are why I don't really think that either OS is a particularly strong fit for this new device. And there is precedence for Apple to proceed down the path of a not-either-but-somehow-a-little-of-both kind of solution: That's essentially what they've done for iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, watchOS and visionOS -- and others. All of these operating systems use the same BSD underpinnings as macOS, each customized to the specific needs of the target products but each taking just a little bit of influence from Apple's other products... and of course as we all know, it has become a two way street: macOS is now routinely influenced by new ideas within these other OSes as well.

My previous comment was of course somewhat tongue in cheek: I don't necessarily expect it to be named "foldOS"... but fold or no fold, a new high-end-touch-based-all-screen device would by necessity inherit a great deal from iOS -- while the higher tier nature of this particular device under discussion practically begs to also inherit some things from macOS, and likely visionOS as well.

Whatever it is that's coming will likely be too expensive for my budget... but I am excited to see it come, nonetheless. To paraphrase a classic '80s ad campaign: "This is not your father's Mac."
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If it doesn't run Mac apps with a Mac-like finder then it wont appeal to people who would otherwise get a MacBook.
 
darngooddesign said:
If it doesn't run Mac apps with a Mac-like finder then it wont appeal to people who would otherwise get a MacBook.
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No argument from me. Re-read my previous comment, quoted here in part for your convenience:

zarmanto said:
Noting that others have already addressed this in part... I would only add that a "hybrid" OS wouldn't necessarily have to "switch phases" at all, nor does it have to be fully either one or the other; it can be an entirely different beast all by itself -- and even as such, it could still run both iPadOS and macOS software. Why not? MacOS already does.
Click to expand...
 
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darngooddesign said:
If only someone made a keyboard for Apple's tablets.
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which only encourages them to then complain "why wont it run full MacOS" when I add the keyboard and mouse.

Apple have stated, many times, iPads are finger first devices.
And laptops are keyboard and mice input. or builtin touchpad.

But people demand more.

I have yet to hear convincing arguments about locked iOS apps when you can carry around a laptop that lets you do whatever you want. It's not like 2000 and 10 lb notebooks. If you can carry an iPad you can carry an Macbook Air.
 
arod303 said:
I'd much rather have a Macbook with a touchscreen that can fold into tablet mode. I have a windows laptop that does that and I love it so much, literally the only reason I have that instead of a macbook is the lack of those features.

Something like this:
61UGE9cZVlL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg


Of course Apple would probably never do that because it would cut into iPad Pro sales.
Click to expand...
OMG how do you type?

At least make it look like the iPad Magic Keyboard and rise above the keys ;)
 
wbeasley said:
which only encourages them to then complain "why wont it run full MacOS" when I add the keyboard and mouse.

Apple have stated, many times, iPads are finger first devices.
And laptops are keyboard and mice input. or builtin touchpad.

But people demand more.

I have yet to hear convincing arguments about locked iOS apps when you can carry around a laptop that lets you do whatever you want. It's not like 2000 and 10 lb notebooks. If you can carry an iPad you can carry an Macbook Air.
Click to expand...
Can you remove the MacBook screen without voiding your warranty?
 
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