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nj-morris

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Nov 30, 2014
1,848
743
UK
What do you think? A separate OS designed from the ground up specifically for the iPad.

I've had this idea for a while now, but I wasn't sure how it would end up. I kind of have an idea, loosely based on this video below (watch 2:48 to 5:00), which gave me a lot of ideas as to what this OS would have.


To put it simply, it would pretty much be OS X, but with touch optimisation. Firstly, it would have the multi-user support. Since it has Touch ID, it would be pretty awesome if it could automatically select which user is using the iPad from the lock screen based on the fingerprint.

Secondly, I really like that idea of the floating windows. It makes sense. I would add on to that the desktop arrangement of OS X. That's one of the things I really like about OS X, rather than having a clutter of recent apps.

Professional app support for the iPad Pro models. This is something that would really make it a laptop replacement for many more people. Things like Final Cut, Photoshop, desktop games.

I think that this is really needed. The iPad needs optimisation, and I think that it would be a great idea to do it with something like this.
 
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magicMac

macrumors 6502a
Apr 13, 2010
986
415
UK
I don't think some of the things you'd like will ever happen on the iPad, if anything OS X is becoming more like iOS if you think about full-screen mode apps on OS X with a four finger swipe to switch apps - it is just like iOS. Also on both platforms you can switch apps with alt-tab and do split-view.

I don't think floating windows will ever make it to iOS, I actually rather like the floating windows on OS X and I suspect that "default" desktop behaviour will stick around for quite some time on OS X because it's also designed to be used on very large screens like the 27" iMac - but in reality most ordinary home users of Windows are on a low resolution 13-15" screen and as such make each app full screen - which is liking to how the iPad behaves (and full screen apps on OS X).

Since iOS 9.3, iPad now has multi-user mode, targeted primarily for schools. Definitely agree with marketing iOS for iPad different now (maybe iPadOS?) since it's usability differs quite a bit from iOS for iPhone (renamed BACK to iPhoneOS? hehe) since they introduced slide-over and split-view to iPad's in 9.3.
 
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mrex

macrumors 68040
Jul 16, 2014
3,458
1,527
europe
a new os? no.

it is already enought that you buy an app for ipad and then realize that you cant run it on your iphone and need to buy another version of the app (if existing). then you open your apple tv and cant run either of the two apps on your apple tv and need to buy it for the third time if even existing.

having a new os for ipad and ipad pro? no. too confusing.
 

Armen

macrumors 604
Apr 30, 2013
7,405
2,274
Los Angeles
What do you think? A separate OS designed from the ground up specifically for the iPad.

I've had this idea for a while now, but I wasn't sure how it would end up. I kind of have an idea, loosely based on this video below (watch 2:48 to 5:00), which gave me a lot of ideas as to what this OS would have.


To put it simply, it would pretty much be OS X, but with touch optimisation. Firstly, it would have the multi-user support. Since it has Touch ID, it would be pretty awesome if it could automatically select which user is using the iPad from the lock screen based on the fingerprint.

Secondly, I really like that idea of the floating windows. It makes sense. I would add on to that the desktop arrangement of OS X. That's one of the things I really like about OS X, rather than having a clutter of recent apps.

Professional app support for the iPad Pro models. This is something that would really make it a laptop replacement for many more people. Things like Final Cut, Photoshop, desktop games.

I think that this is really needed. The iPad needs optimisation, and I think that it would be a great idea to do it with something like this.

If Apple is going to branch out iOS code they should also include a separate branch for the plus sized iPhone. Giving us a few native apps in dual pane view in landscape mode is such a mediocre attempt.
 

jonnyb098

macrumors 601
Nov 16, 2010
4,001
5,536
Michigan
a new os? no.

it is already enought that you buy an app for ipad and then realize that you cant run it on your iphone and need to buy another version of the app (if existing). then you open your apple tv and cant run either of the two apps on your apple tv and need to buy it for the third time if even existing.

having a new os for ipad and ipad pro? no. too confusing.
Its called most apps are "universal" The problem you speak of has not been much of an issue for most in many years.
 
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