For a brief amount of time, Apple’s Environmental Q&A webpage contained what could be a big hint, a possible tease, an Easter egg, a devious clue … or maybe just an honest mistake.
Rumors have long led to speculation that Apple’s naming convention for its operating systems could extend to OS X, which would bring it more in line with iOS, tvOS and watchOS.
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And while Apple won’t unveil its new Mac operating system until June’s Worldwide Developers Conference, we might already have learned its new name: MacOS.
Apple made a temporary mention Thursday of MacOS on its environmental page, which you can see in the paragraph below. As of Friday morning, the reference has been changed to OS X.
And according to this MacRumors article from late last month, this isn’t the first mention of the potential for a MacOS designation.
Previously, OS X had named each updated release after large cats and beginning in 2013, Apple named the following iterations after California landmarks. It’s unclear how the switch to MacOS would affect this tradition, but it would seem to make sense for Apple to have a unified naming convention. iOS, tvOS and watchOS allow for a more boring simple numeric title which is currently at iOS 9.3.1, watchOS 2.2 and tvOS 9.2.
What do you think? Is it time for a naming change? Let us know in the comments section.
I don’t care what they call it. I noticed hackers have had an easier time of it since Intel came into the picture. If there was some way to make it commercial I’d like to see Apple go back to Linux. A break for veterans would be nice.
Captain is allways stays on the top!
Keep everything as is !
No, why change?
It’s been time for Apple to release some nice new ringtones !
And bring back cover flow !
Name change? How about they make a stable, functioning computer OS before worrying about what to call it. Right now, Windon’t would be a good name.
Going back to MacOS N.N.N would be great, if it means the Finder will actually remember all of my open windows after a restart (the most persistent and annoying productivity killer, since Mac OS X 1.0). :)
Newsflash its been called Mac OS for 20 years when 7.6 came out before that it was called system 7.5
Steve should never have renamed if FROM MacOS in the first place. What goes around comes around. Any non-veteran Apple fans invariably have called it “OH-ESS-EX” all along. I for one, will welcome the change back again.
The ‘X’ in OS X is meant to imply that OS X is a member of the Unix family of operating systems, or if you prefer, POSIX compliant operating systems.
Ending in X and part of this tradition are Unix, Aix, Linux, Venix, Minix, Irix, Xenix, HP-UX, OS X
Notably not ending in X but still versions of Unix are SunOS, Solaris, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD,
The “X” refers to “Ten”, and has been there since the beginning with Cheetah.
As to being named to “MacOS”, the OS *used* to be called Mac OS X. Apple dropped the Mac part of the name years ago for no good reason other than perhaps they finally realized that “Mac” = stigma in the PC world.
Kind of hard to call it MacOS though when so much of it is infused with Jony Ives’ craptastic iOSification.
Let’s not forget to include A/UX to the ending in X list.
It used to BE MacOS, as in MacOS 9.2.2.
The OS X “OH ESS TEN” thing always made perfect sense to me, because it followed MacOS 9, but was a completely new system, based on BSD Unix.
I wouldn’t read a whole lot into the cited paragraph. It won’t make a lot of difference (or sense) unless they completely overhaul, i.e.; replace, the entire operating system with something new. And I can’t see them doing that just yet… although they ARE overdue to kick the MS Surface concept to the curb!
Ditto Bill: I don’t care what Apple calls it unless it comes with a new and improved version of according to an outside critique, e.g. Mac Sale’s OWC people.
Thanks for your comment.
Robert Duncan
OS X 10.11.x is ment to be like Snow Leopard – or 106x – where Apple is (mostly) looking to improve things. Apple seems to have recovered from the plague that is 107x … yet they have a long ways to go and there appears to always be regression.
It is unfortunately that the runaway success of iOS has distracted Apple from its old core and it no longer makes many computers that are user (or even tech) serviceable/upgradeable. Its not all bad, yet Apple also neglects the App Stores, at its own peril, though for now, that peril is very low – though it does hurt their reputation.
Too bad Android is horrendous and Windows (WinPhone?) not much better. The code monkeys know not, what they do.
I own a MacBook Pro purchased from OWC at half the cost of a new one and even bought and installed 8 more Gigs of RAM which still doesn’t show up in “About this Mac” after clicking on the far upper left at the Apple icon. The other problem I’ve had with my past two notebooks is found when emailing photo forwards, I must ask readers to copy and paste the sites–real pain or open attachments and send the entire article. Just upgraded to Yosemite which didn’t solve the problem. I don’t care what Apple calls their next machine. Just want things to work. Go figure.
Robert Duncan
Tehachapi, CA
Hello Robert , I’m sorry to hear about that your RAM is not showing up in your MacBook Pro. I recommend trying to clean the memory module. Take a clean pencil eraser and gently rub it along the metal contacts on the memory and follow that by using a microfiber towel along with rubbing alcohol to clean the metal contacts on the memory, this should insure that the memory is getting a solid contact with the computer
If that doesn’t resolve the issue, I would try both and SMC and PRAM reset.
SMC reset: http://blog.macsales.com/35820-add-these-steps-to-your-toolbox-when-troubleshooting-issues-on-a-mac
And
PRAM Reset:
1) Start the machine while holding down the Option-Apple-P-R keys
2) Wait until you hear the 3rd startup chime, then let go of the keys and let the machine boot up.
If the RAM is still not seen please contact our tech support for additional assistance.
From the very beginning, I thought OS X, with the “X” being pronounced “Ten” as in the Roman numeral made no sense. An operating system described as “Oh S Ten, 10.1” sounded ridiculous. If they’d made that “X” the letter instead, it would have been better. I blame the blunder on marketing departments, which typically can’t think beyond their next advertising campaign, much less to an operating system that will eventually include the ridiculous name “OS Ten, Ten point Ten” as the last version did did. Glad Apple is finally getting this right.
^ +10!!!!!!!!!
@OWC Ben M: your response runs off the right side horizontally on my iPhone safari. NO I won’t specify which os version! But it’s rather recent… Heheee! Yes, I tried changing orientation and zooming out…