We would usually skip on reporting about Mac OS X, which Apple now refers to mostly as OS X, but this particular news piece is different - it shows some important changes in the way Cupertino unveils its novelties, and draws an interesting vector for the possible development of iOS. 

First of all, Apple has announced OS X Mountain Lion, a major update to OS X Lion, that’s about to ship in the summer of 2012. The company is also adopting a plan to update the operating system for Macs on a yearly basis. Major novelties are integration of iCloud along with many other things borrowed from iOS - Notification Center, Game Center, iMessage support with an app called Messages, AirPlay Mirroring, a Notes app, Reminders and deep Twitter integration. Overall, Apple is fortifying an ecosystem of three form factors - iPhone/iPod, iPad and Mac by introducing features like free messaging to Mac as well.

Now, the announcement itself is interesting as it brings , but what we find to really show a change in Apple is the way it was served - in tete-a-tete meetings with journalists hosted by none other than Phil Schiller, head of marketing at Apple.

Schiller has allegedly visited the East Coast to personally brief famous bloggers writing about Apple. What’s striking is just how official and well prepared Schiller was, according to John Gruber who detailed his meeting with Schiller in a blog post. 

“We’re starting to do some things differently,” Phil Schiller said to Gruber.

Let’s try and draw some conclusions from the very fact that Schiller is spending the time to personally brief journalists, something unprecedented for Apple and actually any other tech company we can think of. First of all it illustrates the deep and personal relationship between Apple and writers who have been covering the company for ages. It’s precious time with the company’s big honchos which creates a unique bond. 

Secondly, it shows commitment to Mac OS X as a platform fundamentally different from iOS yet still developing in parallel rather than opposite to iOS. It’s an opportunity for Apple to announce it without wasting one of its highly anticipated press events. It also shows that Cupertino has strong focus on its main products like the iPad and iPhone, a focus it doesn’t want to dilute with additional events.

Last, but not least, there is one new addition in OS X Mountain Lion that would be very welcome to iOS. The feature is called “Gatekeeper” and allows devs to sign for Apple developer IDs for free. They can then use the ID to sign applications. The apps they submit don’t need to get assessed by Apple, but if they turn out to be malware, Apple can easily remove a developer’s app or account. This seems like a thing Apple can use so developers self-censor their applications, and ultimately get them rid of long app approval times.

Overall, we can see that Apple is undergoing some changes. We’re not sure whether the novelties of the new OS X like Gatekeeper will transcend to iOS, but the two platforms are obviously very close to each other, while keeping a distinct separation line and that seems like the way it’s going to stay in the near future. Hit the source link for a brief look at Mountain Lion and how similar it has grown to iOS.

source: Apple, Daring Fireball