J.P. Morgan predicts new, separate & converged 'iAnywhere' computing platform in Apple's future

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited February 2014
With smartphone growth slowing, investment firm J.P. Morgan predicts that Apple's "next big thing" could be a new, converged operating system that could allow an iPhone or iPad to dock into a specifically configured display and run as a more traditional computer.

Patent
An Apple tablet docking station concept discovered by AppleInsider in 2008.


The global tech research team at J.P. Morgan believes that a so-called "iAnywhere" operating system from Apple would be something of a converged Mac OS and iOS, but would still keep the two platforms distinct. The details were shared with AppleInsider in a note to investors on Wednesday.

While Apple has publicly panned converged devices, J.P. Morgan believes Apple could grow iOS and boost revenue by selling accessories that would offer a more traditional and powerful computing experience.They don't see Apple's traditional OS X platform being replaced, but instead see iOS growing in functionality and existing alongside the separate, dedicated Mac operating system. This new platform could potentially run Mac applications when connected to a larger display.

"In our view, iAnywhere could be a stepping stone to a broader peripherals and services-led sales, partially reducing Apple's dependence on device-led product cycles," Moskowitz wrote. "Apple could generate revenue through the sale of specifically configured displays, iAnywhere-capable iPhones or iPads, and cloud-based software and storage services."

Rod Hall of J.P. Morgan believes that "iAnywhere" could be a key trend for Apple as soon as this year, with a new product that could serve as an alternative to the company's pricier MacBook lineup. Such a device could reignite growth among Apple's iOS devices and drive further market share gains, Hall wrote in a separate research note.

Apple executives have said clearly on a number of occasions that they intend to keep their iOS and OS X platforms separate. Chief Executive Tim Cook quipped in 2012 that "anything" can be converged, but as Microsoft's Windows 8 platform has shown, the results may not be advantageous.

"You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but you know, those things are probably not going to be pleasing to the user," Cook said.

However, in its own patent filings, Apple has shown some interest in experimenting with versatile docking stations that could turn portable devices into more traditional desktop computers. One such patent uncovered by AppleInsider back in 2008 showed an iMac-like stand that could house and be powered by a portable MacBook.

J.P. Morgan sees the patents Apple owns, as well as the company's switch to a desktop-class 64-bit processor in its latest iPhone and iPad models as moves that have set the stage for a more full-featured computing experience on iOS. Specifically, they believe Apple's 64-bit processors provide enough horsepower to run applications and drivers related to the Mac OS.

iPad Air
The iPad Air is currently Apple's largest tablet with a 9.7-inch display.


The new, so-called "iAnywhere" category could be introduced by Apple in the next 12 to 18 months, J.P. Morgan's research team has predicted. They see the platform potentially being introduced alongside a new iPad with a larger display and a dedicated keyboard --?joining other predictions of an upcoming "iPad Pro" that would exist beyond the current high-end iPad Air.

Moskowitz said he believes an "iAnywhere" platform could offset any cannibalization risks to Apple's Mac platform by selling a number of peripherals, accessories and services in addition to iPhones and iPads.

"Moreover, we think it is important to point out that the iAnywhere revenue content per user could be similar or larger in size than a traditional Mac (computer) purchase given the mobility and peripherals revenue streams as well as the recurring nature of revenue related to the cloud-based services," he said.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 49
    adonissmuadonissmu Posts: 1,776member

    That sounds interesting. I'm looking forward to hearing more. I'm intrigued about how this would work.

  • Reply 2 of 49
    Cook would not continuously publicly trash this idea and then turn around a year later and release it...
  • Reply 3 of 49
    I pity the fools who take J.P. Morgan's advice.
  • Reply 4 of 49
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    J.P. Morgan, lol
  • Reply 5 of 49
    dnd0psdnd0ps Posts: 253member

    JP morgan should stick to what they are familiar with. Banks don't change the world every decade.

  • Reply 6 of 49
    Quote:



    Originally Posted by AdonisSMU View Post

     

    That sounds interesting. I'm looking forward to hearing more. I'm intrigued about how this would work.


    It does sound interesting, Adonis. iPhones, iPads and iCloud! :)

     

    Right now I'm carrying an iPhone, iPad and have an iMac at home. That's a lot of gear.

     

    I'm still of the mind set where if my aging iMac broke, I'd replace it with an new iMac and I'd like to add an MBA 11".

     

    My 29 year old daughter, has it down to an iPad Mini, an iPhone 5 and an aging MacBookPro. That's it.

     

    I don't think she would replace her MBP, if it broke.

  • Reply 7 of 49

    Well I had a dream about this. 

    a server based OS X OS user configuration one can access and recall from anywhere, on a hotel iMac or with an iOS device.

    it may be displayed via an ATV box and an LCD TV as well. 

    OS X on the cloud.

  • Reply 8 of 49
    pmzpmz Posts: 3,433member

    This is just embarrassing. Someone let these guys who are just sitting around a desk trying to come up with anything publishable that Apple has flat-out stated this will NOT be happening in any way shape or form, in any foreseeable future.

  • Reply 9 of 49
    This sounds more and more as iWhatever. These analysts have no formation or knowledge to have a validated worth listening opinion about possible future products.

    So why is this here?
  • Reply 10 of 49
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    However, in its own patent filings, Apple has shown some interest in experimenting with versatile docking stations that could turn portable devices into more traditional desktop computers. One such patent uncovered by AppleInsider back in 2008 showed an iMac-like stand that could house and be powered by a portable MacBook.

     

    I always thought how great it would be to just slide my MacBook into an iMac-like monitor but then I realized this might not work out so well if Apple needed to change the MacBook's shape or connectors. I do not see a merging of MacOS and iOS; but as electronics become more and more powerful yet smaller, I can see a future iPhone-sized device with a more developed iOS capable of using larger input and display devices wirelessly. Think of future versions of today's Bluetooth and Airplay.

  • Reply 11 of 49
    mjtomlinmjtomlin Posts: 2,673member

    This goes nicely with J.P.Morgan's next speculation project code-named, iDontKnow. The results of this project will be released in the next 6-8 months. Details are sketchy, but what we could gather from insiders (the cafeteria staff) is that JPM is almost absolutely (23.5%) sure Apple is possibly working on something, it might be released in a year, or two, or never, and it'll probably work with other Apple platforms (devices and ecosystem).

  • Reply 12 of 49
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    As long as they come up with some fresh branding ... The "i" --insert product here-- labeling is so very tired.
  • Reply 13 of 49
    evilutionevilution Posts: 1,399member
    JP Moron.

    It's a terrible idea based on Windows 8 and Surface.
  • Reply 14 of 49
    rayzrayz Posts: 814member

    Well, Tim's 'doubling-down' on security must be working because the guesswork is getting more and more bizarre.

  • Reply 15 of 49
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    rayz wrote: »
    Well, Tim's 'doubling-down' on security must be working because the guesswork is getting more and more bizarre.
    it really is throwing shit at the wall isn't it?
  • Reply 16 of 49
    bobschlobbobschlob Posts: 1,074member
    "reducing Apple's dependence on device-led product cycles"

    Apple isn't "dependent" on device-led product cycles at all.
    Wall Street is "dependent" on device-led product cycles.
  • Reply 17 of 49

    All I could think of when I first read this was about a story that must be over a decade old now, about how the iPod was going to be used to have portable /Users home folders.

     

    Nice idea, what benefit is there to this idea?  Especially when you think about iCloud.

  • Reply 18 of 49
    jakebjakeb Posts: 562member
    Tim has explicitly said they're not merging ios and osx.

    I could see ios gaining some more functionality that makes it more usable as a laptop replacement (basically, some sort of file system that lets apps share files other than just photos).
  • Reply 19 of 49
    Mmm....

    Let me take a stab at it:

    [B][I][COLOR=blue]iOS 7[/COLOR] + [COLOR=blue]OSX Mavericks [/COLOR]== [COLOR=blue]iOS 7 OSX Mavericks[/COLOR] == [COLOR=blue]Converged Operating System Platform[/COLOR][/I][/B]

    [B][I][COLOR=blue]Apple ARM APU et al[/COLOR] + [COLOR=blue]Intel APU et al[/COLOR] == [COLOR=blue]Converged Hardware Platform[/COLOR]
    [/I][/B]

    [B][I][COLOR=blue]Converged Operating System Platform[/COLOR] + [COLOR=blue]Converged Hardware Platform[/COLOR] == [COLOR=blue]iAnywhere[/COLOR][/I][/B]


    Well, that takes care of the [B][I][COLOR=blue]hard[/COLOR][/I][/B] part....

    I'll leave the [I][B][COLOR=blue]easy[/COLOR][/B][/I] part to JP Morgan and others... Simple things like:
    [LIST]
    [*] unified/predictable/understandable user experience
    [*] visible vs invisible file system
    [*] multiple, resizeable overlapped windows vs single-focus app
    [*] multiple users vs single user
    [*] General purpose complexity vs appliance solution simplicity
    [*] running concurrent multiple apps
    [*] i/O ports for external devices
    [*] i/O drivers
    [*] precision pointing/selecting devices
    [*] 30 years evolution/refinement vs 7 years evolution/refinement
    [*] and much, much more...
    [/LIST]


    IMO,  [B][I][COLOR=blue]iAnywhere[/COLOR] == [COLOR=blue]Windows Everywhere [/COLOR]== [COLOR=blue]Nothin' Nowhere, Nohow[/COLOR][/I][/B]
  • Reply 20 of 49

    This is the reason investment analysts are not engineers. 

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