Hidden in the dense verbiage of Apple’s latest trademark filing for OS X El Capitan is an intriguing detail not previously seen in similar filings for OS X Mavericks or Yosemite — revealing that Apple’s next-gen OS X could possibly be on its way to the iPad.
As per the European Patent & Trademark Office’s official El Capitan filing, Apple has added “tablets” as a possible category covered for the operating system’s trademark. While this may just be Apple covering all its bases, it’s certainly an interesting possibility, which comes at a time when rivals like Microsoft are trying their best to combine the desktop and mobile experience.
Apple has previously been outspoken about its belief that iOS and OS X should remain separate, but the ability to run the full desktop version of Apple’s operating system (or to switch between OS X and iOS) would definitely be a unique selling point for the forthcoming 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
With tablet sales continuing to decline, many are viewing the iPad Pro as a crucial release for Apple since it has the opportunity to re-establish the iPad as a “must have” device, particularly as a productivity tool. Other iPad Pro features are expected to include USB-C, a special stylus, NFC, Force Touch and Apple’s next-gen A9 processor.
Via: Patently Apple
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
12 responses to “Trademark filing hints that El Capitan is coming to iPad”
I don’t see this happening this year, but MAYBE next year iOS + OS X will merge.
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Soooo…am I missing something in this article, or what is this “intriguing detail??”
Paragraph 2, sentence 1: “As per the European Patent & Trademark Office’s official El Capitan filing, Apple has added “tablets” as a possible category covered for the operating system’s trademark.”
That would be killer!! But it won’t happen, because it would totally canibalize the New Macbook. I think it is apple just covering its bases. But there will come a time when iOS becomes too advanced to be considered a “mobile” OS and it will have to merge with OS X. But not this year. iOS X (10) maybe…
if OS X El Capitan can run on a iPad, whose to say that they don’t also have a plan to run iOS 9 on the Macbook? Like Win10 in Parallels.
Because iOS on a MacBook would be dumb.
iPad Pro here we come!
Um, it doesn’t hint at that at all, as PocketNow goes into more detail.
Would also explain the rumours of more ram in the next iPad…
Everyone has this all wrong. If this indeed happens, it won’t be an iPad. This will be a new category like the Surface. OS X and iOS aren’t merging.
I completely think that this will happen EVENTUALLY. Ever since Lion I saw this as the probable direction Apple was taking. I think the day will come when a new Mac is revealed and it’ll look just like your iPhone BECAUSE IT’LL BE YOUR iPhone. Just plug your iPhone 7,8,9 or whatever into a USB C doc and boom you got your iOS device switching to OSX with a plugged in monitor and bluetooth keyboard and mouse/trackpad. Easy peasy.