14 DAY TRIAL // Apple’s renaming of the iPhone OS to iOS has spawned rumors that the company will somehow integrate the software in its Macintosh computers, perhaps in the form of a hybrid OS borrowing key elements from Mac OS X. “A tidbit of information” received by a rumor site now seems to confirm such plans, although Softpedia is still not convinced.
The people at LoopRumors claim to have received word that Apple is planning to develop a hybrid operating system into an upcoming version of the iMac. The computer would run Mac OS X, but would also be equipped with a touch interface for iOS, the report claims.
It notes that Apple’s CEO announced at WWDC10 the renaming of iPhone OS to iOS, suggesting Apple was putting more focus on Multi-Touch than ever before, thus planning to implement the functionality even in its full-fledged computers. Finally, it claims that Apple is on track to release these new iMacs “at a Special Event within the next 60 days.”
Softpedia notes
Needless to point out, this scenario is fairly shaky. First off, if Apple is only now starting to develop the hybrid OS, as this source implies, 60 days is not (by far) enough to get it up and running on what should be alienware iMacs (whose parts should have already been leaked by now), with bigger, touch-capable screens, and completely redesigned software applications.
Not to say a preview of a simple iOS implementation next to Mac OS X isn’t possible (Snow Leopard got just that, long before its debut), but that wouldn’t be the proper way to introduce such revolutionary technology, now, would it?
So, if we’re to assume this rumor is holding any water at all, Apple will use this planned “Special Event” to get attendees acquainted with a touch-screen-capable desktop computer, and see people’s reaction to this.
Perhaps the biggest factor making this rumor unlikely overall is that Apple hasn’t had the time to offer customers a proper transition to a touch-screen iMac. Although its newly released tablet does seem to combine both desktop and mobile OS functionality quite well, it is still a portable solution, boasting simplistic approaches to actual-work scenarios.