Report: Apple's iPhone runs Mac OS X Leopard

[Hurmoth]

Apple's new iPhone, which isn't due to begin shipping until June, runs a version of the company's Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard" operating system slated to ship around the same time, a published report said Thursday.

Writing for the Chicago Sun-Times, renowned Mac columnist Andy Ihnatko said he recently had the opportunity to spend 45 minutes with the iPhone, which features the "most beautiful freakin' display" he's ever seen on a cellphone of PDA "in range of color and level of detail."

"Everything I've learned (both in official briefings and 'you and I never spoke, all right?' sort of discussions) says that it truly does run Leopard, the upcoming 10.5 OS that will be released for the Macintosh late in the spring," he added.

Ihnatko went on to say that the spiffy user interface animations seen during Apple chief executive Steve Jobs' introduction of the device and subsequent demonstration all "come courtesy of Leopard's Core Animation suite."

Contrary to other first hand accounts, the columnist claims that the device's virtual keyboard "is a huge improvement over the mechanical thumbpads" found on the Treo and any other smart phones.

"The buttons are significantly larger, you don't have to hit them dead-center, you lightly tap them instead of punching them down, and the software is smart enough to know that you meant to type 'Tuesday' instead of 'Tudsday,'"he wrote.

"After 30 seconds," he continued "I was already typing faster with the iPhone than I ever have with any other phone."

Ihnatko's claims raise the possibility some of user interface attributes present on the iPhone could make their way into the version of Leopard that will ship for Apple's Mac line of personal computers.

Apple has maintained that Leopard is on track to ship later this spring.

News Source: AppleInsider

[Punio4]

That's a load of bull. I really think it can't run an os which needs a 1GHZ proc, 512 mb ram, and 4Gb of disk space to run properly -_-

Maybe a reeeealy dumbed-down version of it, but that't the same as saying that the motorola linux phone is running on fedora, or ubuntu :/

[AltecXP]

I don't see how as the BSD OSX is made on supposedly doesn't have a distro that works for the cpu in the iPhone.

[Lasker]

insteresting read, the iPhone is looking good in all sides!!! ;)

[Hurmoth]

That's a load of bull. I really think it can't run an os which needs a 1GHZ proc, 512 mb ram, and 4Gb of disk space to run properly -_-

Maybe a reeeealy dumbed-down version of it, but that't the same as saying that the motorola linux phone is running on fedora, or ubuntu :/

He doesn't claim it is a full version of OS X, he just states that it's Leopard. What's so hard to believe? Smartphones run Windows, a dumbed down version of Windows, but it is still Windows nevertheless.

[NienorGT]

Smartphones runs Windows Mobile... not Windows XP or Vista...

Anyway... what give that it run Leopard? Does it have all new feature as Leopard?

[amrinders87]

So what? It doesn't have all the features. That is just marketing bs.

[strekship]

That would be the same as claiming that Windows Mobile is the same OS as Vista.

[The_Observer]

so you could run linux on this then? now that would make me a lot happyer

[Robgig1088]

So what? It is *NOT* running Leopard. There is no way they would do that. Its only running the kernel (which has the core audio + video built in) and possibly select libraries. Thats like me saying my iPod runs linux then people assuming i installed ubuntu on it. This really is no surprise.

[I am Reid]

Once again apple proves just how revolutionary they are.

These guys are good.

[BigBoy]

So who cares that it runs OS X if they don't let you install any apps on it?

It might as well run the "Bob & Tedd's Excellent OS" instead.

[Rob2687]

So what? It is *NOT* running Leopard. There is no way they would do that. Its only running the kernel (which has the core audio + video built in) and possibly select libraries. Thats like me saying my iPod runs linux then people assuming i installed ubuntu on it. This really is no surprise.

Indeed...it's really just a marketting thing.

[Mr. Gibs]

Lol as usual apple trying to make a totally worthless feature seem like something from 2010. Firstly, its obvious that the phone just runs the kernel for OSx [rather than the OS itself]. Secondly its a restricted OS and doesnt allow you to install apps that Apple hasn't certified.

So please, stop trying to compare the iphone with windows mobile. Windows mobile is everything iphone is not, aside from sexiness [but then some win mob phones are quite nice too].

[lunarworks]

That's a load of bull. I really think it can't run an os which needs a 1GHZ proc, 512 mb ram, and 4Gb of disk space to run properly -_-

Maybe a reeeealy dumbed-down version of it, but that't the same as saying that the motorola linux phone is running on fedora, or ubuntu :/

My mom's old iMac G3, 400 MHz with 182 MB of RAM, ran OSX 10.3 quite well.

I'm sure if they removed all the superfluous stuff from 10.5, like printer support and such, it can be run on the phone no prob. Even graphics can be run fine, since they're at a relatively low resolution on a pocket-sized screen.

[Chad]

Indeed...it's really just a marketting thing.

Lol as usual apple trying to make a totally worthless feature seem like something from 2010. Firstly, its obvious that the phone just runs the kernel for OSx [rather than the OS itself]. Secondly its a restricted OS and doesnt allow you to install apps that Apple hasn't certified.

So please, stop trying to compare the iphone with windows mobile. Windows mobile is everything iphone is not, aside from sexiness [but then some win mob phones are quite nice too].

Show me where Apple has claimed it runs the full version of OS X. They haven't, so I wish you guys would pay attention instead of blindly attacking a company for no particular reason.

Windows mobile is everything iphone is not? What does that even mean?

[gxsaurav]

Show me where Apple has claimed it runs the full version of OS X. They haven't, so I wish you guys would pay attention instead of blindly attacking a company for no particular reason.

In the keynote, Jobs has himself said that it runs OS X, but yeah, it is sure not MacOS X Leopard, same as the desktop version. They can't run an OS with such high requirments in a phone for sure

All they need is the Kernal, Quicktime module, which takes care of Audio Video & Images, networking module & the new GSM/CDMA module, thats it

[Mr. Gibs]

Show me where Apple has claimed it runs the full version of OS X. They haven't, so I wish you guys would pay attention instead of blindly attacking a company for no particular reason.

Windows mobile is everything iphone is not? What does that even mean?

To the average user who sees that it runs MAC OSx will believe that it runs the full version.

Windows mobile is everything iphone isnt:

-> Custom apps

-> Cheaper

-> Better functionality

Need I go on?

[Churma]

Until it can run full .app apps in my opinion it doesn't have sh.. It may be running a stripped version of osx but lets be honest, big f....... deal. Most people would enjoy having a full os on a mobile device so they can just transfer apps to their device and run them. Windows mobile is windows CE. It is not XP or Vista. You cannot install programs for the desktop on it. If someone came out with a integrated device for example like OQO with an integrated gsm/cdma phone it would own. Right now it just too expensive to produce a device like that to the mass marked. But hey I would be happy to buy one if it was available. I think Jobs is dead wrong when he stated people do not want a phone that is like a desktop....Or however he stated it. Just my opinion. Flame ON!

Mike

[Joseph21]

this guys need to go to europe or japan and check the cellphones there.

[none_needed]

^ ROFL! They should really check out other phones out there. I mean really! :laugh:

[Chad]

To the average user who sees that it runs MAC OSx will believe that it runs the full version.

How? Apple has never eluded that it runs the full thing.

Windows mobile is everything iphone isnt:

-> Custom apps

-> Cheaper

-> Better functionality

Need I go on?

Cheaper? The range of prices for windows mobile phones is huge. Not all are cheaper than the iphone. Better functionality? For whom? That's simply your opinion.

[tommyswf]

so would that be make the mobile runs slower than a normal mobile?

[MGS4-SS]

To the average user who sees that it runs MAC OSx will believe that it runs the full version.

Windows mobile is everything iphone isnt:

-> Custom apps

-> Cheaper

-> Better functionality

Need I go on?

Yes please. Please tell how the buttons feel, how the audio is, since you talk like you've used it already. What's that? You haven't used it? Oh I knew it, just trying to make a point here.

[drshdw]

How are the buttons going to feel on an iPhone... :whistle:

Yes please. Please tell how the buttons feel, how the audio is, since you talk like you've used it already. What's that? You haven't used it? Oh I knew it, just trying to make a point here.