What would that even entail, in your vision? OSX and iOS already share a similar UNIX core, with only some extra touch APIs and some pruning back from OSX, on iOS. What would it mean to "merge" them then? They're already tailored to touch or non-touch environments.
If you mean Surface like hybrids, Apple has made it pretty clear they see the iPad Pro as their alternative to that, whether you like it or not.
Apple has stated, numerous times that they won't be doing what Microsoft is attempting, because according to what they know, people don't really want it (and we can see that by the tiny sales of Win Phone and Surface tablets, and it would be a mess.
I see no reason to disbelieve that. What they are doing is bringing the two more together in usage modes, and having files and conversations automatically move from one device to another so that they can be worked on anywhere. You don't need the same OS on all machines to do that.
And Win Phone is not Windows. X86 apps will never work on it. It's a one way street, so it's not really combining into one OS no matter what they say, and no matter how they make the UI Look the same. You might remember that "Windows Everywhere" is an old thing for Microsoft, and it's never been true. Win Mobile, for example, also looked like Windows, and Microsoft insisted that it was, but it wasn't.
Apple also stated a smaller iPad wouldn't be any good and that no one was going to buy phones with larger screens so I wouldn't write it off just like that...
But yea, I don't think there is a big reason to merge iOS and OS X. Having a more proper keyboard dock for a future iPad Pro (essentially a laptop when docked with a proper hinge on it) could be really nice, especially if mouse/pointer became an input option but iOS can handle that, no need to run OS X or merge them.
So what if it's making a profit? How much profit is it actually making MS, and how much has the Surface Program cost them upto now? Their latest figures from October showed Surface revenue fell from $908 million to $672 million. How much of that is profit, is not known, and neither are the unit sales figures published. I do like my Surface Pro 3, but it has been swapped out 3 times for different faults each time. Stuff like that will eat into their profit, assuming it's not just me its happening to. I also know lots of people who wanted a surface, but got sticker shock once they'd priced up the spec they wanted and then ended up buying something cheaper from Lenovo et al.
Try reading up on UWP (Universal Windows Platform). A UWP app can run on any Windows-based device, including phones, tablets, and PCs. https://dev.windows.com/en-us/develop
OSX 10.11.2 also out today. I hope it /finally/ fixes my wifi/networking issues with page load stalls on safari, which I've had since Yosemite (!!). Two full releases, this is silly.
The AnandTech reviews include a ton of performance testing and battery life testing that other reviews do not. That stuff takes time. It's also what makes the reviews useful reference points, sometimes even two or three years later.
I agree that the reviews are great, and I understand that it does take some time, but I see reviews here from devices that came out afterwards. Anandtech had this device early, as we were treated to that pre review shortly after the embargo was over.
This was my first phone update since breaking up with Android. It was such a delightful affair, OS update announced, OS update available, OS update installed.
Yeah, isn't it great? No miles of red tape to get your update through.
Basically it comes down to this... If you care about updated software and the security of your device, buy an iPhone. You are guaranteed software updates and security patches on the iPhone platform regardless of your carrier whereas on Android you might get them... if hell freezes over.
Yer, one of the reasons I left my HTC one m8 for an iPhone 6 Plus, because whenever an OTA update came out, I had to hook it up via USB, reinstall the original bootloader, relock it, install the OTA, change the boot loader, unlock it. On the one occasion I just did the OTA update the first time, it nearly bricked the phone and I had to go hunting for the appropriate ROM to put on it and my phone was out of action for 3 days. The only reason I unlocked it was so that I could get different alerts on my M8 dotview case. After standing back from the situation and realising how ridiculous it was, I went and got an iPhone and don't regret it in the slightest.
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nathanddrews - Tuesday, December 8, 2015 - link
So is Apple going to bring iOS up to 10, then merge it with OSX and go ARM/X86 hybrid the same way Microsoft is currently doing it with Windows 10?melgross - Tuesday, December 8, 2015 - link
No.tipoo - Tuesday, December 8, 2015 - link
What would that even entail, in your vision? OSX and iOS already share a similar UNIX core, with only some extra touch APIs and some pruning back from OSX, on iOS. What would it mean to "merge" them then? They're already tailored to touch or non-touch environments.If you mean Surface like hybrids, Apple has made it pretty clear they see the iPad Pro as their alternative to that, whether you like it or not.
melgross - Tuesday, December 8, 2015 - link
Apple has stated, numerous times that they won't be doing what Microsoft is attempting, because according to what they know, people don't really want it (and we can see that by the tiny sales of Win Phone and Surface tablets, and it would be a mess.I see no reason to disbelieve that. What they are doing is bringing the two more together in usage modes, and having files and conversations automatically move from one device to another so that they can be worked on anywhere. You don't need the same OS on all machines to do that.
And Win Phone is not Windows. X86 apps will never work on it. It's a one way street, so it's not really combining into one OS no matter what they say, and no matter how they make the UI Look the same. You might remember that "Windows Everywhere" is an old thing for Microsoft, and it's never been true. Win Mobile, for example, also looked like Windows, and Microsoft insisted that it was, but it wasn't.
shabby - Tuesday, December 8, 2015 - link
Apple says a lot of things, in the end if it'll make them more money they'll do it.chinajon - Friday, January 1, 2016 - link
You say this like it was a bad thing. Should they do stuff which will make them less money?Leonick - Wednesday, December 9, 2015 - link
Apple also stated a smaller iPad wouldn't be any good and that no one was going to buy phones with larger screens so I wouldn't write it off just like that...But yea, I don't think there is a big reason to merge iOS and OS X. Having a more proper keyboard dock for a future iPad Pro (essentially a laptop when docked with a proper hinge on it) could be really nice, especially if mouse/pointer became an input option but iOS can handle that, no need to run OS X or merge them.
Michael Bay - Thursday, December 10, 2015 - link
Surface is making a profit and selling more year over year.Perhaps you should start reading something beside Apple propaganda.
robinthakur - Monday, December 14, 2015 - link
So what if it's making a profit? How much profit is it actually making MS, and how much has the Surface Program cost them upto now? Their latest figures from October showed Surface revenue fell from $908 million to $672 million. How much of that is profit, is not known, and neither are the unit sales figures published. I do like my Surface Pro 3, but it has been swapped out 3 times for different faults each time. Stuff like that will eat into their profit, assuming it's not just me its happening to. I also know lots of people who wanted a surface, but got sticker shock once they'd priced up the spec they wanted and then ended up buying something cheaper from Lenovo et al.bull2760 - Thursday, December 10, 2015 - link
Try reading up on UWP (Universal Windows Platform). A UWP app can run on any Windows-based device, including phones, tablets, and PCs. https://dev.windows.com/en-us/developtipoo - Tuesday, December 8, 2015 - link
OSX 10.11.2 also out today. I hope it /finally/ fixes my wifi/networking issues with page load stalls on safari, which I've had since Yosemite (!!). Two full releases, this is silly.Oxford Guy - Wednesday, December 9, 2015 - link
I'm waiting for 10.11.12.14.8.3.Cmelgross - Tuesday, December 8, 2015 - link
So, where's the iPad Pro review? How long does this take after the teaser comes out shortly after the device itself?name99 - Tuesday, December 8, 2015 - link
The AnandTech reviews include a ton of performance testing and battery life testing that other reviews do not. That stuff takes time. It's also what makes the reviews useful reference points, sometimes even two or three years later.melgross - Tuesday, December 8, 2015 - link
I agree that the reviews are great, and I understand that it does take some time, but I see reviews here from devices that came out afterwards. Anandtech had this device early, as we were treated to that pre review shortly after the embargo was over.magreen - Tuesday, December 8, 2015 - link
This.Sttm - Wednesday, December 9, 2015 - link
This was my first phone update since breaking up with Android. It was such a delightful affair, OS update announced, OS update available, OS update installed.trparky - Wednesday, December 9, 2015 - link
Yeah, isn't it great? No miles of red tape to get your update through.Basically it comes down to this... If you care about updated software and the security of your device, buy an iPhone. You are guaranteed software updates and security patches on the iPhone platform regardless of your carrier whereas on Android you might get them... if hell freezes over.
doggface - Sunday, December 13, 2015 - link
Or buy a Nexus device... I get a security update every month now. All regular like. It's pretty good.robinthakur - Monday, December 14, 2015 - link
Yer, one of the reasons I left my HTC one m8 for an iPhone 6 Plus, because whenever an OTA update came out, I had to hook it up via USB, reinstall the original bootloader, relock it, install the OTA, change the boot loader, unlock it. On the one occasion I just did the OTA update the first time, it nearly bricked the phone and I had to go hunting for the appropriate ROM to put on it and my phone was out of action for 3 days. The only reason I unlocked it was so that I could get different alerts on my M8 dotview case. After standing back from the situation and realising how ridiculous it was, I went and got an iPhone and don't regret it in the slightest.