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Fuzzy Logic Here comes Apple’s Leopard – but what’s next?
Fuzzy Logic Here comes Apple’s Leopard – but what’s next? | Here comes Apple’s Leopard – but what’s next? |
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| by Alex Zaharov-Reutt | |
| Wednesday, 17 October 2007 | |
  
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Apple say that 300 new features are included within, although most aren’t all-singing and all-dancing features like the Time Machine backup software which allows users to not only ‘go back in time’ to retrieve lost or accidentally deleted data, but to even re-build the OS with apps and data onto a brand new hard drive. Other headline features include an improved desktop that uses Stacks to organize programs and information, a new Finder application, a ‘Quick Look’ feature that can preview/play/display virtually any type of file, even if you don’t have the software installed, Spaces to easily move between multiple virtual desktops and the first non-beta version of Boot Camp, allowing users to install Windows XP or Vista, and to easily shut down the Mac OS X and quickly boot into the Windows environment if needed. Steve Jobs took the chance to have a dig at Microsoft when he said, in Apple’s statement celebrating the upcoming release of OS X 10.5, that: “Leopard, the sixth major release of Mac OS X, is the best upgrade we’ve ever released. And everyone gets the ‘Ultimate’ version, packed with all the new innovative features, for just US $129 [or AUD $158 recommended retail price inc GST]”. No doubt there are other surprises yet to be discovered when users start installing the new OS, and will be sharing their views online soon enough. But questions remain about Leopard’s release and what it means for the rest of Apple. Questions and rumours online talk of new Apple ultra-portable computers, larger screen iPhone style devices, and even Apple waiting for Leopard’s release before starting to lean towards allowing developers to create properly licensed and authorized third party programs for the iPhone. Having a computer the size of a MacBook, or even smaller with a 12-inch widescreen version, but coming with the power of the MacBook Pro platform, along with a backlit keyboard, or having the fabled official Mac Tablet or a souped up iPhone with more computer-like features, have all been touted at one time or another in the not too distant past. No doubt the rumours will now continue right up until Macworld in January 2008 in great expectation that something new and exciting is on the way now that Apple can spend some more time on new hardware design with the OS finished, at least for now. Whatever happens, the upcoming release of Leopard will certainly be warmly welcomed by Mac users around the world, especially as it will shortly become an actually available Apple product, and not simply a product of rumour or speculation. Still, I’m sure Apple is pleased to be, as seems normal these days, at the centre of many people’s attention, and with the upcoming release of Leopard, attention which sees users happy with Apple, rather than annoyed over locked iPhones and the inability to legally run third party programs. Now all that has to happen is for the software to launch – and for the hackers to start poking holes in OS X 10.5 – while early adopter users brave the 10.5.0 release, beta testing it for many more who will wait until a 10.5.1 or 10.5.2 update becomes available, as in inevitable. With the release of Leopard, the iPhone, the iPods, and all the different models of Mac computer available, Apple has never had a better chance to take as big a bite out of Microsoft’s Windows market share as they do now. If the Leopard’s spots can be thought of as representing a still tiny market share compared with different versions of Windows, let’s hope this truly is one Leopard that can change its spots, delivering Apple its greatest increase in sales ever. We’ll see in a few months time when sales figures are released, and hope to see our prediction come true. Watch this space! |
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