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I still think that the AppleTV is where this will start. They now support multiple accounts, have an app store, etc. iOS supports keyboards and mice, and they

I still think that the AppleTV is where this will start. They now support multiple accounts, have an app store, etc. iOS supports keyboards and mice, and they have a "conference room display" mode that brings them into a business setting. Release the iWork suite and some sort of thin client/remote desktop app and then see how people use them. Learn, iterate, repeat. They can build an ARM-based Mac bit by bit, out in the open, without anyone freaking out and killing their x86 sales.

saagarjha 7y ago
Apple TV is already ARM (at least the new ones are…), and it runs what's essentially a skin of iOS. I doubt they will switch that out with macOS anytime soon.
- jsjohnst 7y ago
  The original Apple TV (that looks sorta like a half-height Mac Mini) was based on a stripped down version of OSX, but you are correct, everything from the Apple TV 2 and on is ARM and running a derivative of iOS.
  - solarkraft 7y ago
    Isn't iOS a version of Mac OS? :-) Do they share any new code nowadays?
    - saagarjha 7y ago
      They share most of their code.
      - jsjohnst 7y ago
        Now, sure, but not back then to the same extent.
    - jsjohnst 7y ago
      The Apple TV v1 was released/shipped before the iPhone was. It was based on OS X 10.4.7 with a modified version of FrontRow (remember that old app?) as the primary UI. You can read a bunch more about it here[0]. There was nothing remotely iOS in it until Apple TV v2 which didn’t come out for like 7 years after. Yes, iOS and MacOS are very similar now, but they weren’t that similar in 2007. Yes, both were Darwin based, but from there up they originally were pretty distinct. [0] https://www.macworld.com/article/1057029/atv_hacks.html https://www.macworld.com/article/1057029/atv_hacks.html
  - mobilio 7y ago
    First gen is using PentiumM: https://everymac.com/systems/apple/apple-tv/specs/apple-tv-itv-specs.html https://everymac.com/systems/apple/apple-tv/specs/apple-tv-i...
    - jsjohnst 7y ago
      Lot more details here: https://www.macworld.com/article/1057029/atv_hacks.html https://www.macworld.com/article/1057029/atv_hacks.html
astannard 7y ago
DO you mean apple TV's will be more like a 'Apple mac teeny tiny' where they work more as a low powered desktop than a media player? It would be interesting to see
- OrangeMango 7y ago
  That's exactly what I imagine. They currently sell two versions of the AppleTV - take the higher one and make it slot below the Mac Mini.
greggman3 7y ago
Any rumors if iOS will ever support multiple accounts in the future? It's infuriating how bad support is for people who travel and/or live abroad. I need to be on the USA App Store for various USA only apps and I need to be on the Japanese App Store for Japan only apps (examples including banking apps) but iOS doesn't allow multiple stores or multiple accounts and switching stores cancels all your subscriptions. It's hard to believe no one at Apple has this issue but maybe they all just use 2 devices or something.
- OrangeMango 7y ago
  I think that your use case is not what multiple "accounts" would be designed for. Have you tried keeping multiple backups, one for Japan and one for USA? That seems like it would work, but be extraordinarily terrible! As for multiple accounts, they exist on iOS. You just have to be managing the devices for education: https://help.apple.com/deployment/education/#/cad7e2e0cf56 https://help.apple.com/deployment/education/#/cad7e2e0cf56 When I mentioned multiple accounts, I meant on AppleTV. AppleTV can switch accounts in "consumer mode" so each person gets their "personalized experience" Honestly, it's a mess. But they can improve by working on it and paying attention to real-world situations.

saagarjha 7y ago

Apple TV is already ARM (at least the new ones are…), and it runs what's essentially a skin of iOS. I doubt they will switch that out with macOS anytime soon.

jsjohnst 7y ago
The original Apple TV (that looks sorta like a half-height Mac Mini) was based on a stripped down version of OSX, but you are correct, everything from the Apple TV 2 and on is ARM and running a derivative of iOS.
- solarkraft 7y ago
  Isn't iOS a version of Mac OS? :-) Do they share any new code nowadays?
  - saagarjha 7y ago
    They share most of their code.
    - jsjohnst 7y ago
      Now, sure, but not back then to the same extent.
  - jsjohnst 7y ago
    The Apple TV v1 was released/shipped before the iPhone was. It was based on OS X 10.4.7 with a modified version of FrontRow (remember that old app?) as the primary UI. You can read a bunch more about it here[0]. There was nothing remotely iOS in it until Apple TV v2 which didn’t come out for like 7 years after. Yes, iOS and MacOS are very similar now, but they weren’t that similar in 2007. Yes, both were Darwin based, but from there up they originally were pretty distinct. [0] https://www.macworld.com/article/1057029/atv_hacks.html https://www.macworld.com/article/1057029/atv_hacks.html
- mobilio 7y ago
  First gen is using PentiumM: https://everymac.com/systems/apple/apple-tv/specs/apple-tv-itv-specs.html https://everymac.com/systems/apple/apple-tv/specs/apple-tv-i...
  - jsjohnst 7y ago
    Lot more details here: https://www.macworld.com/article/1057029/atv_hacks.html https://www.macworld.com/article/1057029/atv_hacks.html

astannard 7y ago

DO you mean apple TV's will be more like a 'Apple mac teeny tiny' where they work more as a low powered desktop than a media player? It would be interesting to see

OrangeMango 7y ago
That's exactly what I imagine. They currently sell two versions of the AppleTV - take the higher one and make it slot below the Mac Mini.

greggman3 7y ago

Any rumors if iOS will ever support multiple accounts in the future? It's infuriating how bad support is for people who travel and/or live abroad. I need to be on the USA App Store for various USA only apps and I need to be on the Japanese App Store for Japan only apps (examples including banking apps) but iOS doesn't allow multiple stores or multiple accounts and switching stores cancels all your subscriptions. It's hard to believe no one at Apple has this issue but maybe they all just use 2 devices or something.

OrangeMango 7y ago
I think that your use case is not what multiple "accounts" would be designed for. Have you tried keeping multiple backups, one for Japan and one for USA? That seems like it would work, but be extraordinarily terrible! As for multiple accounts, they exist on iOS. You just have to be managing the devices for education: https://help.apple.com/deployment/education/#/cad7e2e0cf56 https://help.apple.com/deployment/education/#/cad7e2e0cf56 When I mentioned multiple accounts, I meant on AppleTV. AppleTV can switch accounts in "consumer mode" so each person gets their "personalized experience" Honestly, it's a mess. But they can improve by working on it and paying attention to real-world situations.