Merging iOS and OS X would be 'waste of energy', Apple exec says
Apple's Phil Schiller has poured water on the theory that iOS and OS X could be combined into one operating system.
Even thinking about merging iOS and OS X into a single operating system would be a "waste of energy", according to Apple's Phil Schiller.
The company's senior vice president of worldwide marketing poured water on theories that Apple's two operating systems are going to converge, in an interview with MacWorld to celebrate the Mac's 30th anniversary.
"We don’t waste time thinking, 'But it should be one [interface]!' How do you make these [operating systems] merge together?'" Schiller reportedly said. "What a waste of energy that would be."
Apple's Craig Federighi, senior vice president of software engineering was also in the interview, and commented, "It's obvious and easy enough to slap a touchscreen on a piece of hardware, but is that a good experience?"
"We believe, no," Federighi reportedly added, removing any trace of ambiguity.
"To say [OS X and iOS] should be the same, independent of their purpose? Let's just converge for the sake of convergence? [It's] absolutely a nongoal," Federighi is quoted as saying, possibly inventing the word 'nongoal' in the process.
"You'll see them be the same where that makes sense, and you'll see them be different in those things that are critical to their essence."
I'd recommend checking out the full interview for more comments from the senior Apple bods.
Do you think Apple's mobile and desktop operating systems are destined to become one? Is Apple bluffing when it implies there's no plan to add touchscreen displays to Macs? Or is it right and proper that both systems remain independent? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook wall.