Rumor: Apple working on new device family under codename 'Star' [u]
Apple is rumored to be working on a new device family that, according to a decidedly sparse report, combines technology from the company's iOS and Mac device lineups.
Axiotron's ModBook hybrid Mac tablet, circa 2007.
According to 9to5Mac, the project, known internally as "Star," involves prototypes sporting a touchscreen, SIM card slot, GPS, compass and water resistant housing. A small batch of these "N84" devices have been manufactured by Apple supplier Pegatron and shipped to the company's headquarters in Cupertino.
No sources are cited and the report provides exceedingly few details on the Star initiative, making it difficult to ascertain what, if anything, can be concluded from the proffered information.
The report fails to mention screen size, processor design, format or, perhaps most importantly, whether the device includes a keyboard. It does, however, speculate that Star could be the banner under which Apple is developing a widely rumored ARM-based MacBook or, alternatively, an iOS notebook. How the publication arrived at those conclusions is left unreported.
Prototypes in circulation boot using an Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) like Apple's current Intel-based Macs, which the report suggests points to an ARM-powered MacBook convertible. However, the machines are said to run a "derivative" of iOS, not macOS.
Though the -- admittedly scant -- hardware specifications provided imply nothing more than a next-generation iPad with water-resistant casing, 9to5Mac claims the hardware is classified as a new device family, distinct from Apple's existing iOS product lines.
Parts leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer, who has in the past provided accurate information regarding Apple's future product plans, refuted details of the report. Hemmerstoffer was first to mention the N84 device designation in April.
Apple has long been rumored to transition its Mac lineup from Intel processors to its own ARM-based designs, with prognostications of an imminent switch dating back to the company's 2008 purchase of chip designer PA Semi. Hearsay continued in fits and starts, punctuated by the odd report claiming an impending move away from Intel.
A report earlier this month breathed new life into the rumor mill, saying Apple has plans to ditch the x86 architecture for in-house silicon by 2020.
This article has been updated with additional information about the N84 product designation.
Axiotron's ModBook hybrid Mac tablet, circa 2007.
According to 9to5Mac, the project, known internally as "Star," involves prototypes sporting a touchscreen, SIM card slot, GPS, compass and water resistant housing. A small batch of these "N84" devices have been manufactured by Apple supplier Pegatron and shipped to the company's headquarters in Cupertino.
No sources are cited and the report provides exceedingly few details on the Star initiative, making it difficult to ascertain what, if anything, can be concluded from the proffered information.
The report fails to mention screen size, processor design, format or, perhaps most importantly, whether the device includes a keyboard. It does, however, speculate that Star could be the banner under which Apple is developing a widely rumored ARM-based MacBook or, alternatively, an iOS notebook. How the publication arrived at those conclusions is left unreported.
Prototypes in circulation boot using an Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) like Apple's current Intel-based Macs, which the report suggests points to an ARM-powered MacBook convertible. However, the machines are said to run a "derivative" of iOS, not macOS.
Though the -- admittedly scant -- hardware specifications provided imply nothing more than a next-generation iPad with water-resistant casing, 9to5Mac claims the hardware is classified as a new device family, distinct from Apple's existing iOS product lines.
Parts leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer, who has in the past provided accurate information regarding Apple's future product plans, refuted details of the report. Hemmerstoffer was first to mention the N84 device designation in April.
Apple has long been rumored to transition its Mac lineup from Intel processors to its own ARM-based designs, with prognostications of an imminent switch dating back to the company's 2008 purchase of chip designer PA Semi. Hearsay continued in fits and starts, punctuated by the odd report claiming an impending move away from Intel.
A report earlier this month breathed new life into the rumor mill, saying Apple has plans to ditch the x86 architecture for in-house silicon by 2020.
This article has been updated with additional information about the N84 product designation.
Comments
Also, when Apple retired the Airport a few weeks ago, I and others said it might be because they were moving away from WiFi and focussing on 5G cellular (where the puck is going). And now we have a rumor of a notebook with cellular (joining the phone, ipad and watch).
Imagine a tablet with the heft of a 15” MBP, that slides into the side of an iMac. Sort of like how Lenovo’s have always been able to dock into a system that expands the components and allows you to have a larger screen. Similar to the PowerBook Duo Apple had back in the day of their portables.
I can see a lot of speculation with little to no actual factual data going into creating that conclusion.
But let's say Apple does have a great hybrid in mind, would it use iOS or macOS as its core? Hopefully people are past the simplistic notion that ARM = iOS and Intel = macOS, but I doubt I could be so lucky. If Apple were to make a hybrid device that can function as both a tablet and as a laptop or docked desktop, how would they do it? Would it be better to start with iOS and then build up the HW/drivers and frameworks needed to then support the new I/O needs for also making it like a Mac? Can macOS be ported over to iOS? Would they even want to, or would they want to use this product as a way to ushering in the future of macOS by creating a very efficient, Swift-based desktop UI for this rumoured "Star."
It wouldn't too off base with how they've brought more efficient code back to the Mac after finding ways to make it more efficient for the iPhone. It's also not like Apple doesn't have a history of multiple UIs being stored on a device, but this would be a completely different undertaking than including CarPlay on an iPhone. At this point, I'm expecting to see an ARM-based Mac before I see an Apple tablet running the iOS UI that will convert to a desktop OS when used in a certain way or plugged into certain HW.
What I think this is...is just simply a Mac running with their own CPU/GPU like I've said in the past that they're working on (Mac mini and MacBook Air). We'll see exactly how much iOS stuff is on this. Since iOS obviously runs on ARM already, Apple could just be using a custom macOS with some iOS stuff implemented into it to make it work better with ARM, but this doesn't mean that its gonna have an iOS type UI. Like I said, I think people expect a desktop experience when they get a Mac and if you try to merge iOS and macOS you get crapOS in the end.
I think it will be along the lines of this.
in the UI layer maybe and it hasnt hit the dream of o connected computing whole that you just position yourself in front of based on task. Which is still a highly desirable thing in many places both home and at work.
I still think the next step is a thin Mac that is minimal hardware to get a desktop app running then dispatch more intense tasks for to a shared resource and live stream it back. Not unlike Steamlink does with games. A new UX build from the ground up on the assumption the processing is happening asynchronous would be needed to make it smooth.
Star sounds like it could fit with that. Also sounds like it would need to be at WWDC as at least a preview and development kit given other timing.
They have been doing the same thing on the hardware side, ever so slowly making Mac hardware more iOS like. Fewer and fewer replaceable parts. More wireless and less ports. Keyboards so flat they're not much different to typing on a touch screen. Tim Cook likes boiling frogs, he is a patient man.
What do you see as the benefit to name a unique OS the same as an OS for a completely different device platform with different I/O? Even if Apple could theoretically make it so that a 3rd party developer could develop for the iPhone and it be 100% compatible for the Mac despite the extremely different UIs and I/O. the branding is for its users, not for coders. So how does calling macOS on a 27" iMac Pro iOS Desktop work for the user or Apple's branding?
Watch and TV’s respective systems are already based on iOS just with some chunks removed and some stuff added that’s specific to their platforms. iOS and macOS are already like this to some degree. The original iOS was based on a stripped down version of Snow Leopard.
The big big question is, will Apple use the transition to “iOS desktop edition” as an excuse to lock down Macs to only sandboxes apps from the App Store? If so this would largely kill a lot of piracy on the Mac, you’d have no torrent clients, and you would be killing off a lot of bigger apps that have resisted Apple’s direction to bundle themselves into single bundles.
Im really hoping that Apple leaves the restrictions on what can and can’t run the way they currently are. I don’t want to have to run a Windows or Linux NUC for torrents.
That said other than that I welcome the shift to ARM. We will also be in a better space for apps than we were when we went PPC to Intel or Classic to X, since Adobe should already know that if they drag their feet Apple can just pump a bit of money into Serif and then eat their lunch. Microsoft already had office on iOS etc.
I also do think the move to integrate cellular into all Macs would be a smart idea. And I really really hope these new ones ship with Pencil support. Being able to use pencil in graphic apps on a device as capable as a MacBook Pro would be a dream.