“The company intends to create a […] universal operating system across all of its devices”

Jan 10, 2013 18:01 GMT  ·  By

Solutions company Mutual Mobile today shared 10 predictions for how the mobile space will change in 2013, and one of those bold predictions is iOSX, a rumored hybrid OS from Apple.

John Arrow, CEO of Mutual Mobile, believes “Mobile has evolved from being a test project in the marketing department to become a driving force in a new system of engagement with customers, partners and employees.”

“In 2013, mobile will continue its meteoric rise, moving beyond the confines of a handheld device to impact everything in its path,” Arrow adds.

The Austin, Texas-based company forecasts that in 2013, the rise of mobile will enable Apple to deploy what has been referred to by some people as iOSX – a blend of Apple’s two popular operating systems which indeed share a lot of common traits.

“Apple’s announcement that iOS and OS X will be unified under a single leader is yet another sign the company intends to create a single, universal operating system across all of its devices,” states Mutual Mobile.

Keep in mind that while Mutual Mobile talks in present tense, Apple hasn’t announced anything of the sort.

iOSX is regarded by the solutions company as “an important step towards ensuring a consistent user experience across platforms, while increasing revenue opportunities.”

While the prediction certainly sounds plausible – most pundits agree that this is the direction Steve Jobs set in place for Apple – iOSX is probably years away.

The Cupertino, California-based Apple Inc. is only taking its first baby steps towards truly integrating all of the key features from iOS and OS X into a unified operating system.

The iPad is not a smartphone, but it’s not a laptop either. The iOS version running on Apple’s tablets could well be considered a hybrid, but it retains far fewer desktop features than mobile ones.

What would truly make sense for iOSX, as described by Mutual Mobile, is probably a totally new breed of devices. An iTV, perhaps?