Mac OS X 10.6 to debut at WWDC08?

[GhettoFob]

linky

Interesting, OS X 10.6 to be out by Macworld 2009 in January which to me seems a little soon. The article notes that there won't be any new significant features so I guess that would explain the quicker release schedule. I'm wondering how this would be any different than 10.5.x (besides dropping PowerPC support...)

 

[alfa147x]

its 3d
and you have to wear 3d glasses

 

[ViRGE]

This would seem to be very unlikely.

 

[keeleysam]

I just ignore everything posted by Cory Bohon on TUAW, he's a dumb kid who blows everything out of proportion.

 

[Kaido]

Yeah, there's no way it will debut this early. Apple would tick off too many PPC owners. Plus look at 10.4 - it goes all the way up to .9, and 10.5.3 was just barely released.

I've heard that 10.5.4 might make a debut, though.

 

[bearxor]

I don't know why you guys sound shocked. OS X has had a pretty consistent release schedule of anywhere between 12-18 months. The longest gap was between 10.4 Intel and 10.5 which was 21 months and the only reason it was delayed from it's summer release, if you'll remember, was because Apple was focusing really hard on getting the iPhone out.

While I would have thought it would be shown at MW '09 and released around WWDC '09, it should surprise no one that Apple wants to get back to it's original development cycle now that the iPhone is (presumably) on track with it's own software team.

Just because most OS's go up to .9 releases doesn't mean they all will. Look at 10.0 and 10.1, released 6 months apart. 10.1 was pretty much just an update to 10.0. If 10.6 isn't a huge upgrade to 10.5, then 10.5 could still be supported even after a 10.6 release. Keep in mind that if Apple goes fully 64-bit Intel in 10.6, it will also alienate Core Duo users.

Something also tells me that next year Apple will want a fully 64-bit OS for it's newly revised Pro Apps. Final Cut 7 will probably be announced on or around NAB 2009, which usually takes place around the beginning of May. Something tells me we'll be getting an updated DVDSP which will support Blu-Ray authoring and that MacPro's will begin shipping with Blu-Ray writers around that time as well.

But anyways - not out of the real of possibility for 10.6 to be released early next year.

 

[Kmax82]

Hmm.. that'd make sense that they'd at least show the devs what they're working on. Even if they don't plan to release the OS until next year's WWDC.. it'd be good info for the devs to hear.

A lot of people keep forgetting that WWDC is a developers conference, and not the iPhone show. And I'm talking to myself in that statement.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: Kaido
Yeah, there's no way it will debut this early. Apple would tick off too many PPC owners. Plus look at 10.4 - it goes all the way up to .9, and 10.5.3 was just barely released.

I've heard that 10.5.4 might make a debut, though.

10.4 went to .11 actually, Oh man, I can't believe I just got to use that in casual conversation!

 

[nervegrind3r]

I hate mac rumors, why do they exist. We just went to 10.5.3, why do people insist on saying 10.6 will debut?

rumors suck

 

[Kmax82]

I would be ready for 10.6, if 10.5 shipped the way that it is now as 10.5.3... but since it feels like I just got a stable OS, I'm not as ready to transition to a new cat.

 

[sourceninja]

I'm very happy with 10.5, I'll stay with it for a nice long while.

 

[JSt0rm]

I'm happy with 10.4. Hell I'm running 10.4.8 for software reasons.

 

[Kmax82]

To me, JSt0rm01, that's the beauty of OS X. You have the freedom to use which OS version you want. And they're all pretty stable as long as you don't want the features of the newer one.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: Kmax82
To me, JSt0rm01, that's the beauty of OS X. You have the freedom to use which OS version you want. And they're all pretty stable as long as you don't want the features of the newer one.

Well, to be fair, Win98 was supported for a really long time, and Win2K is still quite valid, as is WinXP.

I can't really speak to earlier versions of WinNT since I don't use WinNT

 

[Kmax82]

Win98 was supported for a long time, but it still was horribly unstable. WinXP, and NT (2000 or later), are quite viable OS choices, I will agree.

I just still feel like even back to 10.3 days, that feels a heck of a lot more stable than XP, or any Windows OS is. Granted you'll lose some functionality as newer programs are beginning to require at least 10.4.11, and some are even 10.5 only.

 

[TangoJuliet]

I read some rumors that the posters at the Moscone center are saying "OS X Leopard: The world's most advanced operating system". They feel that by leaving out the mac branding "Mac OS X Leopard" that apple may start selling the OS and start competing against MS. I highly doubt they will go that route but ya never know.

OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard" for the masses? Guess we will find out tomorrow.

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: TangoJuliet
I read some rumors that the posters at the Moscone center are saying "OS X Leopard: The world's most advanced operating system". They feel that by leaving out the mac branding "Mac OS X Leopard" that apple may start selling the OS and start competing against MS. I highly doubt they will go that route but ya never know.

OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard" for the masses? Guess we will find out tomorrow.

Hell would freeze over first. AKA it'll never happen, at least not as long as Steven P. Jobs is at the helm. (Nice thought though!)

 

[timswim78]

Originally posted by: Kmax82
To me, JSt0rm01, that's the beauty of OS X. You have the freedom to use which OS version you want. And they're all pretty stable as long as you don't want the features of the newer one.

Yes, older versions remain stable, but newer versions of applications often require the most recent of OS X.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: TangoJuliet
I read some rumors that the posters at the Moscone center are saying "OS X Leopard: The world's most advanced operating system". They feel that by leaving out the mac branding "Mac OS X Leopard" that apple may start selling the OS and start competing against MS. I highly doubt they will go that route but ya never know.

OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard" for the masses? Guess we will find out tomorrow.

Hell would freeze over first. AKA it'll never happen, at least not as long as Steven P. Jobs is at the helm. (Nice thought though!)

Boy that would make Hackintosh life easier

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: TangoJuliet
I read some rumors that the posters at the Moscone center are saying "OS X Leopard: The world's most advanced operating system". They feel that by leaving out the mac branding "Mac OS X Leopard" that apple may start selling the OS and start competing against MS. I highly doubt they will go that route but ya never know.

OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard" for the masses? Guess we will find out tomorrow.

Hell would freeze over first. AKA it'll never happen, at least not as long as Steven P. Jobs is at the helm. (Nice thought though!)

Boy that would make Hackintosh life easier

Oh sure, but it would be 1/4 as fun.

 

[Kmax82]

Just like the clones, though, an Open OS X would reek havoc on Apple. I have no doubt that they are proficient coders, but when you have to support as many hardware configs as Windows, OS X will lose its appeal IMO.

 

[bearxor]

Apple could work out a deal similar to the clones. Apple could license to say, dell. Who would then offer a new line of computers, like the InspironX.

Now in this InspironX, as part of the licensing agreement with Apple, Dell can only sell certain configurations. No AMD processors, restricted video card and chipset choices. What Dell could offer here, though, is a mid-range expandable tower utilizing various Intel processors. How about a $699 InspironX with 2GB of RAM and a Pentium DC for office-work? How about just slower c2d's from what apple offers. Choosing to get a desktop with a X3100 or a 8800GT? If Apple limited the hardware selection OEM's could use, just like they did with the older clones (although, admittedly, it was much easier back then since they were PowerPC processors) it wouldn't be a support headache for Apple at all. You could also sell one of these machines pre-loaded and configured with Boot Camp and a OEM copy of Windows for cheap.

Won't happen though. Not while Apple's market is growing anyways...

 

[Kmax82]

Yea.. that makes sense.

 

[bearxor]

so 10.6 will be shipping in 'about a year'. That put it closer to what I thought. They're talking about it, but not a whole lot. We'll get a lot more coverage at MW2009 and it'll ship before or just after WWDC09.

18 month release schedule back on track!

 

[ViRGE]

And no one will be happy about paying for it if it's going to be such a minor upgrade.