Having the ability to switch from iOS to OS X on your iPad when you need to get real work done sounds like an awesome idea, but Apple’s full desktop operating system isn’t designed to be used with a touchscreen. That’s why a new rumor that claims the upcoming 12-inch iPad will run both platforms is just downright crazy.
“Apple’s rumored 12-inch tablet, which is said to be scheduled for release in 2015, may become the vendor’s first device to feature an operating system that integrates Mac OS and iOS,” DigiTimes reports, citing “rumors in the upstream supply chain.”
The report adds that Apple actually has two 12.9-inch iPad prototypes in testing — only one of which is a “2-in-1” device that runs both iOS and OS X, while the other is a “regular tablet.” Mass production is expected to begin in early 2015, but it’s unclear at this point whether just one or both of these devices will be brought to market.
DigiTimes has a famously bad track record when it comes to Apple rumors, and we always advise readers to take its claims with a heaped spoonful of salt. While Apple could well be testing the feasibility of OS X on an iPad, it’s highly unlikely it would optimize the platform for a touchscreen tablet.
Instead, the Cupertino company is likely to just enhance iOS for a larger screen, and add new functions and features that will make it even more productive — such as split-screen multitasking and support for multiple user profiles. We’ve already seen the beginning of this process with the iPhone 6 Plus, which has new landscape modes that take advantage of its bigger display.
Source: DigiTimes
Killian Bell is a freelance writer based in the U.K. He has an interest in all things tech and also covers Android over at CultofAndroid.com. You can follow him on Twitter via @killianbell.
26 responses to “Crazy rumor claims Apple’s 12-inch iPad will run iOS and OS X”
“but Apple’s full operating system isn’t deisgned to be used with a touchscreen”.
Killian: agreed. But what if OS X on an iPad Pro could run just like it does on a MacBook? Imagine a keyboard and trackpad integrated peripheral into which you *dock* or connect your iPad Pro.
When docked, you run O S X. When undocked, you run iOS like any other iPad. True productivity and consumption machine.
(Attribution appreciated.)
So like the surface and Windows 10 now?
Well no, not really. Windows 10 is a one size fits all OS. OS X and iOS are very distinct from one another. Switching between the two would require Apple to retain that input distinction.
Something like trackpad and keyboard input only for OSX, and touch only for iOS. The surface approach is very nearly good, but it doesn’t keep that distinction. That’s why it’s a bit confused.
If Apple refines the Surface idea, I would love that. They weren’t he first to make a big screen phone or the first to make a tablet. But so what?
Not it’s not. Windows 10 for phones and ARM tablets won’t have a desktop or the legacy code. What Windows 10 will have across all platforms is identical kernels, SDKs, APIs, developer platforms, app ecosystems, and software code. However, it’s not the exact same OS on all devices.
Basically, the kind of thing that the Microsoft Surface already has; with the hot-swapping between a touch-optimised and desktop-style UI that Windows 10 will bring (itself copied from Ubuntu)…
Attribution is somewhat redundant here, there’s nothing original in your post.
I DESPISE the idea of a 2-in-1.
But if it runs iOSX by itself, WITHOUT AN “ADD ON”,
they won’t be able to keep them on the shelves.
Yes they will, because OSX isn’t even built to run on ARM hardware, and it’s never been built or optimized for touch. Not to mention such a device would be far more expensive than a Surface Pro 3 and less capable. The 128 GB iPad Air with LTE is an insane $930, more expensive than at least two models of the SP3.
Spoil sport …. Feh.
Well, OS X & iOS use a common kernel (at a fundamental level, they’re the same OS, just with very different UIs; indeed, Apple originally marketed the iPhone as running OS X, before deciding to rebrand “iPhone OS” to just iOS & market it as a separate product), so it probably wouldn’t actually be very hard at all to port all the upper layers of OS X from x86 to ARM (they already managed to port it all to x86 from PowerPC).
By way of an example, it’s like how people have ported Ubuntu from running on top of the open-source Debian Linux kernel to running on the proprietary Linux kernels of Google’s Android & ChromeOS operating systems (both on x86 and ARM SoCs).
WOOOOOOPPP !!!!!!!
Take a look at Dock2Office. Making full size desktop solution of your Ipad
Actual Microsoft Office is better.
I’d love it all in one. But more like a ModBook. I would like to see a docked stylus in it but here’s the catch: When Stylus is docked, touch interface is functional (fingers), when stylus is undocked, only the stylus input would be recognized. Then, you could rest your hands on the screen without invalid input. When keyboard docked, both would be available.
Why Continuity and Handoff if this is true?
Honestly, I think this is just rumour-fiction!
I think they’ve been testing something like this in the R&D labs, but I doubt it’ll hit the streets.
It seems more like wishful thinking at this point.
nope… I would like to see IOS apps get more and more powerful like PhotoShop Mix. Or a super thin Macbook Air, but the idea of both on one device doesn’t make sense to me. With IOS 8 you can get plenty of work done. Its also where most developer interest is. In the near future IOS may be one to one as powerful as OSX, or they will become one the right way. With out the confusion of Win 8 & 10 metro vs retro.
There is no confusion with Windows 10, unless you’re complete idiot.
I didn’t mean it in a rude manner. I like Windows 10 (Use Win 8 on my Lenovo Laptop), but I just think Metro on Windows is always battling to take over certain parts of the OS, which brings lots of confusion. Unless Metro Start screen and its influences are totally gone from Win 10, there will be almost as much confusion as Win 8.
Watch the presentation. There won’t be confusion.
I saw it. And I’ll rephrase my statement… Without the confusion of Win 8.
Then you should know that there won’t be confusion. Perhaps Joe_HTH is right.
I think this is less likely with an iPad, but I’ve thought for a few years now (ever since Lion for OSX came out) that this will probably happen with the iPhone. If an iPhone could be cradled to a Monitor and bluetooth connect to a keyboard and mouse / trackpad we’d ALWAYS have our computer with us. I think that’s where this will go, but I could be shooting for the moon on that one.
Except it’s not a crazy rumor. The rumor part might be, but the ‘crazy’ part makes perfect sense.
Quite a while ago it was ‘rumored’ a 12 MacBook Air was on the way. Many felt that was ‘odd’ and ‘unnecessary’ and ‘redundant’. With good reason, since all positions are reasonably true. There is already an 11 and a 13… how asinine is it to release one in the middle? Pretty asinine.
But if one were to learn this mysterious MacBook Air was really a 12 inch iPad, everything changes. What support did we have of this? A subsequent rumor suggested this ‘MacBook Air’ would come in iPhone colors. Ahem.
So what do you have? Something called a ‘laptop’ but fashioned as an iOS device. Instead of wondering which is true some forget that both could be true. If that’s the case, this new rumor only fits nicely among the others.
So then why such a product? I must admit — the Surface Pro is interesting to this lifelong Mac user. Unfortunately it has Windows on it but the overall idea isn’t bad.
And of OS X on an iPad, it’s easier to use than you might think. I use Mocha VLC all the time on my iPad… which is to say I’m controlling an iMac via my iPad… and it’s not that bad. OS X native would be much easier.
And finally finally FINALLY Apple would sell a computer for the rest… of them.
lol
I wonder if you could install osx on an iphone? Then you could use iOS when using it as a phone (normally), but connect it to a screen a mouse and a keyboard at the office and run osx.
iSlate?
Yea, but when are they going to offer a digitizer pen, with extra fine precision, for artists? I fail to understand why I can do this on my Mac but I cant on any iPad or iPhone…. really said for Apple of all companies. Droid tablets – no problem.