Apple OS X Will Soon Look Very Different

Image: Mashable, Christina Ascani

By Christina Warren2 days ago

With WWDC, Apple's annual developer conference, around the corner, the rumor mill is in full swing. A new report indicates the big star of WWDC 2014 might not be iOS 8, but rather the next version of OS X.
According to 9to5Mac, the next version of OS X (OS X 10.10) may be the centerpiece of the conference, usurping even iOS 8.

See also: How to Do a Clean Install of OS X Mavericks

The last time OS X was the main draw at WWDC was in 2007. Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard was the focus of WWDC, for the second time. The iPhone, which was 18 days away from release at the time, got a nice mention, but it wouldn't get its own SDK until 2008.
The 2008, 2009 and 2010 conferences also served as the iPhone launch announcements, which definitely put the Mac on the back burner. Last year, Apple spent a lot of time talking about OS X 10.9 Mavericks, but the real interest was in the massive visual overhaul of iOS 7.
According to 9to5Mac's sources, OS X 10.10 will feature a major visual redesign, something in the same league as the move from iOS 6 to iOS 7. As a result, Apple is interested in showing off those features to developers. The report also states that members of the iOS UI team have been pulled to help finish the new OS X design.
Although reports indicate that OS X will take on some of iOS 7's design cues, including sharper corners and more white space,

Apple isn't going to try to pull a Microsoft and shoehorn its mobile OS onto the desktop.

Apple isn't going to try to pull a Microsoft and shoehorn its mobile OS onto the desktop. With every major software update, Apple has so far reiterated its commitment to keeping iOS and OS X as separate entities. That doesn't mean the two can't share some of the same design language or similar features, but OS X is designed for a mouse and keyboard and iOS is designed for touch.
So what will the next version of OS X 10.10 be called? With Mavericks, Apple retired its cat-name theme and has said future versions of OS X names will be inspired by California. Rumors suggest the internal codename is Syrah, after the wine. Of course, it's also worth noting that Apple has acquired the trademarks for Yosemite, Mammoth and Diablo.

Time for an OS X UI refresh

Although I'm not bothered by the look of OS X 10.9 Mavericks, I do think its time for an updated coat of paint.
Depending on your perspective, the last major OS X UI change happened in 2007 with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard or 2011 with OS X 10.7 Lion.
It's true that OS X Lion infused a heavy dose iOS flavor into OS X, but it took until Mavericks for the full vision of Lion to really come together. Fundamentally, the Mac UI in 2014 doesn't look that different from 2007 or 2008.
I've gone on record as calling OS X Mavericks the best OS X since Snow Leopard — and I still think that's true.
Under the hood, so much of Mavericks is fantastic. This was especially evident during our Mac Pro review — where I could really take advantage of some of the new underlying technologies at a hardware and software level.
If OS X 10.10 were simply a graphical refresh, along with a few tweaks and improvements, that could still be a big deal. A new look would also be a great incentive for Mac developers to continue making great apps, utilities and games.

Other WWDC rumors

In addition to news around OS X 10.10, 9to5Mac reports that Apple might also release a new Apple TV at WWDC. Could a new Apple TV also mean a more open Apple TV SDK for apps? We've certainly heard that rumor before.
Reports also suggest that some of the changes planned for iOS 8 might be pushed back for a future update.
The good news is, we don't have to wait much longer to find out what's next for iOS and OS X. WWDC is just 30 days away.