Apple gave a sneak preview of the next version of Mac OS X at today’s Back to Mac event.
The next version of Mac OS X, which is the eighth major release of Mac OS X will be called Mac OS X Lion.
Mac OS X will get the features inspired by iOS on the iPad like multitouch gestures, App Store, App home screens with iOS 4 folders, full screen apps, auto save, apps resume when launched.
Here are some of the major new features coming to Mac OS X Lion:
Mac App Store:
Mac users will get an App Store like the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch where they can find and buy apps made for the Mac.
It comes with all the features that will make it very easy to discover, buy, download, install and update apps.
Users will also be able to use the apps that they’ve purchases on every Mac they use just like on iOS devices.
The Mac App Store will launch in approximately 90 days from today and Apple has announced that developers can submit apps for inclusion from November.
Launchpad:
The Launchpad is more like the home for Mac OS X apps downloaded from the Mac App Store. It is inspired by the home screen for apps on iOS devices.
So just like the home screens, users will see all their apps on the Mac. They will also be able to arrange the apps in folders just the folder feature introduced in iOS 4. So users will also be able to drag and drop apps into folders with intelligent naming.
You will also be able to swipe to see multiple pages of apps just like on the iOS Device.
Fullscreen apps:
The name says it all. Mac users will be able to launch apps on your Mac in full-screen mode.
Users will be able to switch between full-screen apps with the swipe of the trackpad.
Mission Command Control:
Apple has merged Exposé, Spaces, Dashboard, and full-screen apps into a single view to give users a view of what’s running on their Mac.
Multitouch gestures will make it even more easier to navigate between things in Mission Control.
Steve Jobs also mentioned that they’ve opted for multitouch gestures on the trackpads in their notebooks, Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad rather than on a multitouch screen of a Mac or Macbook as research showed that multitouch on a vertical screen was ‘ergonomically terrible’.
These are just some of the features that Apple had previewed at today’s event. Mac OS X 10.7 or Lion is expected to be released in summer 2011.
The report that claimed prior to the Back to Mac event that the new version of Mac OS X will come with "OS X meets iOS” interface was spot on.
We would love to find out from our readers who own a Mac, if they like the new features in Mac OS X Lion and from our readers who use Windows if these features will tempt them to switch to a Mac. Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Perhaps I forgot to mention a comment regarding the new Iphone, well I will leave that for later on January..
If it's jailbreakable then yes
I'm not convinced… I really like iOS devices, but not so sure that I want the Mac to go in that direction. It seems to me that all these will constrain the Mac (single official software source — under Apple's terms, full screen apps seem constrained too). Is this the right direction for workstations?
I think we're going to the future. When i first hear about the ipad i said that's a pierce of crap then when i try it i said wow this a gadget to have. I trust apple product cause Job knows what he's doing he carfully choose the best devices for us. Go ahed Steve Job.
Judging by your spelling, grammar and punctuation (or lack of) you're the exactly the target audience for these new Apple products.
Simplistic designs for simplistic people. Over-constrained software that is almost idiot proof.
Steve Jobs tells you what to think, and you obey.
Judging by your grammar, sentence structure, and overall flow of writing your a single male with no lover except his right or left hand.
Although your argument has merit, some people will be simple, and as such like simple things. Quit picking on them.
Ditto
Is installous going to be an option for the iMac?
I would like to ditch Windows and my heavy Tablet PC but everything is alot of vaporware talk at this point. I was a Windows Mobile user for years and the Iphone blew it away in spades. Not sure the new Mac Air's touch pad will give you the ability to handwrite on documents or take notes quickly. Maybe a dual booting Mac Air (use ipad/iphone apps with real instant on) laptop with flip touch screen, internal accelerometer, gps and 4g? Or, like the Lenovo Ideapad U1 Hybrid Notebook/Tablet concept,use the Ipad as the the detachable screen with a Mac Air base. Why create a Mac App store? Just use what we have already.
I am a PC user and Lion is not looking good. It''s too idiot proof and I think it looks too much like a glorified ipad. I will soon be buying my first mac and I will have to buy Snow Leopard because lion does not seem fun to me. There's my opinion, not pick it apart.
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