Unverified report claims Mac OS X 10.7 to adopt iOS interface elements

Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
An unconfirmed source says Mac OS X 10.7 will incorporate a number of iOS interface elements, such as scroll bars and scrolling behavior, a new report claims.



A "reliable source familiar with the matter" has leaked details of the upcoming OS, claiming that "iOS influence is visible in the new OS user interface," according to a MacStories report. However, the report remains unverified, as MacStories has no track record with insider information.



"Apple took some elements from iOS and applied them to OS X, trying to blend everything nicely," the report suggests. The biggest change is that Mac OS X 10.7 will reportedly abandon its current Aqua scroll bars in favor of the "more minimal look" of iOS scroll bars and scrolling behavior. The scroll bars may also adopt "rubber band" elastic scrolling from iOS devices and a native "pull to refresh" feature. Author Federico Viticci is unsure whether the new scrolling features will be turned on by default.



According to the source, the Mac OS X QuickLook technology may receive an overhaul as well. Instead of translucent black, the QuickLook UI in 10.7 will be white and include support for popovers in the Spotlight menu, wrote Viticci.



Mac OS X 10.7 has been highly anticipated, with some pundits speculating that it will add a "Touch" layer. In July, an Apple job listing for a software engineer hinted at a "revolutionary" new feature for the next-generation operating system, which has been given the internal code-name "Barolo," a well-known Italian wine.



Apple's "Back to the Mac" event on Wednesday, Oct. 20 at 10:00 am Pacific time will most likely provide details on Mac OS X 10.7, which has been dubbed "Lion." In addition to a preview of the next version of OS X, Apple plans to release an 11.6-inch MacBook Air, AppleInsider has learned. iLife and iWork are due for a revamp and may also be part of Wednesday's event.





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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 138
    poochpooch Posts: 768member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    However, the rumor remains unverified, as MacStories has no track record with insider information.



    aren't rumors inherently unverified?
  • Reply 2 of 138
    dunksdunks Posts: 1,254member
    looking forward to the upcoming Keynote.
  • Reply 3 of 138
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Meanwhile 7 seems to have accomplished the task of duplicating XP without so many problems as Vista.
  • Reply 4 of 138
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    It's a no brainer that OS X will borrow from iOS and vice versa. Apple will do whatever is necessary for the best user experience and also drag consumers into realms they couldn't even imagine.
  • Reply 5 of 138
    l008coml008com Posts: 163member
    When you think about it, apple's aqua scroll bars in 10.6 are WAY out of place. Their days are numbered, no doubt about it.
  • Reply 6 of 138
    So this confirms that 10.7 is Lion then, look at the "Back to the Mac" image they have.

    If they update the MacBook Pros significantly, I might just cry.
  • Reply 7 of 138
    It will be interesting how they incorporate touch into a future OS for the Mac. I hope it is done right though. And what about backward compatibility? With older Macs? I know they have the magic trackpad, but right now even that and the gestures seem almost gimmick-like. Anyway, looking forward to seeing the future of MacOS. Mostly looking forward to a new iLife and iWork!!!
  • Reply 8 of 138
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post


    It's a no brainer that OS X will borrow from iOS and vice versa. Apple will do whatever is necessary for the best user experience and also drag consumers into realms they couldn't even imagine.



    Thank you that. I can't wait for the 20th. I hate windows with a passion.

    Apple has just begun brothern. They have just begun!!
  • Reply 9 of 138
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Sounds true. It's not a big deal.



    I'm hoping for more important new features, like decent mouse tracking software. And I mean decent by Apple's standards.



    And a way to e-mail quickly, like you can on iOS. There's no reason in the world that Mac OS X can't bring me into composing an e-mail as fast, or even faster than iOS. And while I'm on the subject, where's Mac OS X's unified notification system? Growl is one of the messiest things I've ever encountered, but I'm convinced it only gets used because Apple's version of it doesn't exist. And why is it so messy installing apps, or deleting apps? For Apple these things could be way cleaner, quicker and simpler.
  • Reply 10 of 138
    OSX and iOS will merge eventually.. Maybe a couple years.. After 10.7 perhaps..
  • Reply 11 of 138
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Pooch View Post


    aren't rumors inherently unverified?



    Steve squashed the 7" iPad notion. At this point I don't believe anyone about anything....will just get some popcorn and wait for the show.
  • Reply 12 of 138
    coolfactorcoolfactor Posts: 2,239member
    I don't know about dropping the scrollbars. They serve a purpose just by being visible. They indicate how much of the entire document is visible in the window, although I'm sure the world has moved past such things and most consumers wouldn't even have known that. And scrollbars allow you to jump to specific section of the document with a single click. Image doing the same thing using iOS's approach.... pull.... pull.... pull.... stop.... go back a bit.... They'd have to enhance the iOS scrollbars somewhat to make them more "productivity friendly".
  • Reply 13 of 138
    aizmovaizmov Posts: 989member
    I love the layout of Mail, Calendar, Contacts and Notes on the iPad and prefer it to the Mac's. It would be nice if Mac OS X gets a similar layout for them in Lion.



    I want a surprise Mac Mini update, I wanna get one but the current specs (Core 2 Duo) are putting me off. I want a core i3 update.
  • Reply 14 of 138
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    "Mac OS X 10.7 to adopt iOS interface elements?



    In other news, The Sun is expected to rise tomorrow and water will be continue to be wet.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wurm5150 View Post


    OSX and iOS will merge eventually.. Maybe a couple years.. After 10.7 perhaps..



    No they won?t. For them to ?merge? into one OS would mean that the version that comes installed on a Mac would also run on any iDevice. This simply won?t happen. Mac OS will get aspects of iOS that people are familiar with and have been made more efficient from when it was required for the port from Mac OS, like the QuickTime X framework, but they will be separate OSes.



    Actually, Take QuickTime X in SL. The interface were rewritten for Mac OS. There are similar aspects and they use the same underlying core technologies, but it?s still a very different app.
  • Reply 15 of 138
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by macapptraining View Post


    It will be interesting how they incorporate touch into a future OS for the Mac.



    It's not going to happen. Don't fool yourself. Touch is great for certain things, but for productivity the mouse is still KING. And it will remain that way. How do I know this? Because Apple's non-touch Mac computers are way more productive than any of their touch products. Why? Because that's the way they were meant to be. iPads are great for business, but not for "work". There's a big difference there. It's appears subtle, but it's major. iPads make businesses work way better than they did, but the real work happens on Macs and PCs.



    I see iPad-type computers eventually replacing Apple laptops, but I don't see them replacing Apple desktops. Desktops are the work-horses. Laptops only sold so well because there was no other portable computers around. iPads will fill that niche. And as they become more powerful that will only become more obvious. Desktops however will remain where the majority of work gets done. I envision a future where every house will have a large desktop computer and every faming member will have touch computer for more personal computing. The desktop will be where the kids or the parent goes to "work". Build stuff, make stuff, design stuff, do stuff, as opposed to learning, updating or consuming.
  • Reply 16 of 138
    sockrolidsockrolid Posts: 2,789member
    'The biggest change is that Mac OS X 10.7 will reportedly abandon its current

    Aqua scroll bars in favor of the "more minimal look" of iOS scroll bars and scrolling behavior.'



    Not a moment too soon. Getting really tired of the Gummi Worm look. I would much prefer

    the iTunes / iPhoto matte-finish look, with the silver/gray icons. The GUI should get out

    of the way of the user experience. No need for excessive decoration or "excitement."



    This is why iOS is so good. It doesn't draw attention to itself. It gets out of the way

    as soon as it can.



    Now, as to when Finder will disappear from Mac OS, maybe it will be an option by the

    Mac OS 11 timeframe, say about 2013. You know how there are iMacs and Mac Pros,

    MacBooks and MacBook Pros? Well how about a Mac OS and Mac OS Pro? And only

    the Pro version has the Finder...
  • Reply 17 of 138
    Quote:

    internal code-name "Barolo," a well-known Italian wine.



    A wine? I guess it's an OS trend. Vista's code name was "Night Train Express".

  • Reply 18 of 138
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SockRolid View Post


    Getting really tired of the Gummi Worm look.



    Being there two years ago, gave up since. Not soon enough is right. Still, these are not really "features". There are not meaty enough for me.
  • Reply 19 of 138
    pokepoke Posts: 506member
    When Snow Leopard was released they said it was all about laying the foundations for future OS updates. Presumably 10.7 is that future. I didn't expect to see it any time soon and have no idea what they're going to show on Wednesday. Even if some of the old rumours are true, like a replacement for Aqua, they won't necessarily show it. I expect it to be heavily influenced by iOS though. There might be something to this rumour about scrollbars. Perhaps 10.7 is designed for multitouch trackpads rather than mice. Perhaps that's why they released the magic trackpad. It would make sense since current UIs were designed for an input device (the mouse) that is no longer used by the majority of users (who have notebooks).
  • Reply 20 of 138
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by poke View Post


    When Snow Leopard was released they said it was all about laying the foundations for future OS updates. Presumably 10.7 is that future. I didn't expect to see it any time soon and have no idea what they're going to show on Wednesday. Even if some of the old rumours are true, like a replacement for Aqua, they won't necessarily show it. I expect it to be heavily influenced by iOS though. There might be something to this rumour about scrollbars. Perhaps 10.7 is designed for multitouch trackpads rather than mice. Perhaps that's why they released the magic trackpad. It would make sense since current UIs were designed for an input device (the mouse) that is no longer used by the majority of users (who have notebooks).



    I don't get this. The mouse is more productive than the trackpad. It just is. It's more accurate, and more definitely more quickly.
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