A Look At OS X Yosemite And iOS 8.1
by Brandon Chester on October 27, 2014 8:00 AM ESTConclusion
It has definitely been a busy few months in the Apple world. September delivered the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, along with iOS 8, and a preview of the still mysterious Apple Watch. This month we got the iPad Air 2, the iPad Mini 3, the iMac with Retina 5K display, iOS 8.1, Apple Pay, and OS X Yosemite. Those last three points are some of the most interesting, and they all happen to be part of Apple's software ecosystem. I don't think that's a coincidence. We're reaching a point where it's becoming more and more difficult to differentiate your products based on hardware alone. Great software driving a great experience is where the focus needs to be moving forward.
Apple's strategy to provide that experience appears to be deep integration of their services across all of their product lines. It starts with the cloud, with new additions to iCloud like iCloud Drive and Photo Library. From there it goes to software commonality, with a design language that exists on both iOS and OS X, and applications that exist on both platforms. On the opposite end of the spectrum from the cloud are the new continuity features which provide integration between all the devices that you have right there with you. SMS Forwarding and iPhone call transferring expands communication on iPad and the Mac to new areas, while Handoff makes the transition between applications seamless and accurate right down to where your cursor was.
What interests me the most about Apple's stategy is how it provides incentive for a user with one Apple device to buy other Apple devices. This exists to a certain degree with other manufacturers as well. If you own a Samsung smartphone, you may be more inclined to buy a Samsung tablet due to the similar hardware design and user interface. But apart from any brand loyalty you feel, you don't really have any incentive to buy a Samsung laptop which runs Windows and doesn't integrate with your other devices. Apple's integration covers their entire lineup of devices. An iPhone user has a lot to gain by choosing a MacBook over a Windows Ultrabook, and an iPad over a Nexus 9. It would be interesting to analyze what percentage of people purchasing a new Apple device already own one or more Apple products.
Overall, I'm happy with the work that Apple has done with iOS 8.1 and OS X Yosemite. It's clear that a lot of this has been in the works for some time now, and integrating products and services to this degree requires a lot of planning to position your hardware and software so that it will be capable of working together in the ways you want them to. The Yosemite redesign has also gone quite well, and there aren't as many jarring inconsistencies as there were with iOS 7 at launch despite OS X being a more expansive operating system. Apple has definitely learned from their experiences with the iOS redesign. That being said, there is still a lot of work to do. Apple Pay needs to expand rapidly, and iCloud Photo Library isn't as far developed as I had expected it to be.
It's hard to say where Apple will go as we move forward. It will be hard to outdo the work that has been done with Yosemite. However, history tells me that there are still great things yet to come from Apple. It seems that year after year Apple is able to make updated products and proclaim them to be the biggest advancements in that product's history, and regardless of my initial reaction, I somehow always find myself agreeing .
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retrospooty - Wednesday, October 29, 2014 - link
Oh, well good. You have one that isn't slow or crashing, well, sorry others have them that are. And no, not all iPhones are bending, the point is its so thin that it is structurally weak and is susceptible to be bent. http://www.oneofthenine.com/ - You going to defend that?Anyhow, you have mentioned that fact that I am in my early 40's like 4-5 times now. You mentioned you have been coming to Anandtech as long as I have, so unless you were here as a toddler , you must be gettting pretty close too... Not that age matters, but you keep mentioning it and keep coming back to reply, so as much of a loser as I must be to post here, you are more of one as you are here at the same site, defending a company AND tracking my age and post count on another related site.
KoolAidMan1 - Thursday, October 30, 2014 - link
It's not about the age, it's about you with over 10000 posts on DT and hundreds on Disqus devoted to almost entirely to defending Android and bashing iOS. I expect that from a teenage console warrior, not a grown man.Otherwise, most people have no problems with iOS. Almost nobody has bent iPhones, literally dozens out of tens of millions. Even if it was hundreds it would be statistically insignificant.
Stretching credibility in the name of fanboy desperation is sad for anyone, especially someone that is supposed to be "mature".
KoolAidMan1 - Thursday, October 30, 2014 - link
And to be clear, yes, 1000 bent iPhones (let's throw out a big number) out of tens of millions is bad.That percentage is TINY. Its nothing like actual tech disasters like the RROD or even laptop battery recalls. Get bent out of shape if you want though, your life seems to revolve around phone drama.
HKZ - Monday, October 27, 2014 - link
It's you. Your reading skills aren't very good given the title of this article.KoolAidMan1 - Wednesday, October 29, 2014 - link
He's a fanboy with over 10000 posts between DT and Disqus devoted to talking negatively about Apple.Reading comprehension isn't a factor with zealots like him, just spin
KoolAidMan1 - Wednesday, October 29, 2014 - link
And obviously there are negative things to be said for Apple, same as any other company. For example, the Mac Mini and iPad Mini 3 updates are awful.The problem is that its hard to take anything he seriously when everything he says is negative, a conspiracy, and self-victimizing. He goes so far as to say Anand is a shill for Apple and that his current employment is proof of that.
Nothing he says can be taken seriously because it is constant. At least he doesn't seem bigoted, racist, or homophobic like some of his DT friends.
retrospooty - Wednesday, October 29, 2014 - link
What is funny is the guy that is stalking that guy and hanging off his every word (and yet still gets it so wrong).LOL. What a doof.
KoolAidMan1 - Thursday, October 30, 2014 - link
How is it stalking? You are impossible to miss on DT. As for Disqus, it was the first return from Google.Two clicks to see that profile is "stalking", good one!
retrospooty - Thursday, October 30, 2014 - link
How is it stalking? You are tracking my post count, your last umpteen posts at DT were all about me. You posted on this article, only to me, and to others about me. You seem to be caught up with my age and occupation. Why dont you go troll someone else? why are you fixated on me? Or is it becasue I keep calling you on your 100% one sided biased ass, and shutting you down like I did again here and you are pissed? http://www.dailytech.com/Article.aspx?newsid=36545...Too bad trollboy. But back on topic, my 10000 posts at DT is over the entire history since day 1. FFS, most of it has nothing to do with Apple. Especially any OP's. Often you asshat Apple nutjobs that just cant STAND when anyone doesn't like anything about Apple get all butt hurt and go on and on, so that makes it seem like alot of posts, but its really just a few asshats, yourself included.
FYI, I also say alot of good things about Apple. They moved the whole industry forward in 2007, I love the hardware on iPad Air and Air 2. I love the hw quality in general until it got so thin its structurally weak... And on that subject, it IS weak. There my be only a few thousand people with the issue, but its a young product. the fact its that it is too weak to take much abuse.... All in the name of form over function.
Whatever. You are so stuck on stupid with Apple I cant even relate. Its a company, and you defnd it like its your mother being insulted. Get a grip.
Osamede - Monday, October 27, 2014 - link
Author said:"..... If you own a Samsung smartphone, you may be more inclined to buy a Samsung tablet due to the similar hardware design and user interface. But apart from any brand loyalty you feel, you don't really have any incentive to buy a Samsung laptop which runs Windows and doesn't integrate with your other device..."
Reality is:
http://www.samsung.com/uk/support/convergence/side...
http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/samsung-galaxy-tab-s-s...
I am shocked that standards of journalism and market insight are slipping so low, so fast
How long before this becomes yet another fanboy blog?