List of New Features Coming In Mac OS X 10.7 Lion [Predictions]

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It's going to be Mac OS X 10.7, nicknamed Lion. Naturally, we're hoping Apple licenses Leo the Lion from MGM for a new start-up screen.
It's going to be Mac OS X 10.7, nicknamed Lion. Naturally, we're hoping Apple licenses Leo the Lion from MGM for a new start-up screen.

There’s very little information about Apple’s next big update to OS X, 10.7 or “Lion,” which may be previewed at Steve Jobs’ special “Back To The Mac” press event on Wednesday.

People are very excited, though, and they’re letting their imaginations run away with them. Among the features that have been suggested are an App Store for the Mac, multitouch controls, and iOS apps instead of the little-used Dashboard.

It’s an interesting list, but some stuff there that just isn’t going to happen… Here’s what is going to be in 10.7:

[Thanks to OS X Daily for the list]

iChat + FaceTime: A no-brainer. I expect FaceTime will hit Windows shortly, too, putting the shits up Skype.

Mac App Store: Nope. No benefit to Apple and too alien to ‘open’ computing. The PR shit-storm would be massive and the benefits would be non-existent.

Stronger Multi-Touch Integration: Only in the sense of more gestural stuff nicked from iOS. This is not full-on iOS integration. iOS is a touchscreen-based OS, and so it won’t work with a pointer, even if you’ve got a multitouch trackpad. The level of abstraction is just totally wrong.

iOS replaces Dashboard: Er, no, unless that dreadful ‘iMac with bendy neck’ rumor is true (meaning Jobs and Ive have been smoking some serious crack).

Cloud Support: I bloody well hope so. But Apple’s proven for years now that it doesn’t have a damn clue about cloud-based computing/back-up/sync. If this does happen, I’ll be amazed if it doesn’t require £$€¥.

Updated Finder: They say: tabs! High-res icons! Automatic file-tagging and sorting! And other advanced file management features! I say: Apple wants Finder to be simple, not Path Finder.

Updated Dock: They mention a scrollable stack fan? *blorch* I expect some pilfering from Windows 7, but not a scrollable fan. (Again: *blorch*)

New GUI: Likely, albeit in Apple’s typically botched manner. Expect some apps to be updated and Apple’s 50 billion other UI experiments to stick around like bad smells.

Real NTFS Support: Don’t know. Don’t care either.

Advanced AirPlay Support: A no-brainer.

And with that, Mr Grumpy Brit-o-hack is off to stare at the grey, grey skies, wondering if the sun will ever show its face again. Hint: it won’t, at least not until June next year, when everyone in the UK will get burned lobster red and complain it’s now too hot, despite usually complaining that it’s too cold, and [Snip! That’s enough of that!—Ed.]

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