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WWDC 2009: Time for a reality check

Jun. 8, 2009 Paul Thurrott | Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows

Apple is providing its WWDC 2009 keynote address today, providing some interesting info about its Mac and iPhone platforms. But this is Apple we're talking about. So it's time for a reality check.

75 million Mac OS X users. Apple claimed that the OS X user base magically jumped from 25 million to 75 million active users in two years. But it didn't. It jumped to 35 million users. The other 40 million are using iPhones and iPod touches. So if there are 1 billion active PC users (and that's an old figure), than OS X usage share right now is 3.5 percent. Everyone's onboard with the math, right? 3.5 percent. "No wonder everyone is trying to follow in our footsteps," Apple SVP Phil Schiller said. Right.

Macbooks magically become Macbook Pros. Apple rebranded the 13-inch Macbook as the Macbook Pro and added SD slots across the line-up. FINALLY. I've only been asking for this handy little feature for, what, 6 years? The batteries are non-replaceable. I'm pretty sure no one was asking for that feature. And they added Firewire 800. Seriously, how about two more USB ports? Oh, and $1699 to start for a lowball 15-inch unit? To Mac guys, this is big news.

Hypocrisy around Vista/7 and Leopard/Snow Leopard. This year, both Microsoft and Apple are working on revisions to existing OSes. In Microsoft's case, Windows 7 is a nice revision to Windows Vista. And Snow Leopard is a minor revision (service pack) to Mac OS X Leopard. Both Windows Vista and Leopard have had their share of problems, but Vista's are more high profile and thus, apparently, news to the wider world. But look how Apple's Darth Vader, Bertrand Serlet, describes these updates:

Windows 7: "Even more complexity is present in Windows 7. The same old tech as Vista. Just another version of Vista."

Snow Leopard: "We come from such a different place. We love Leopard, we're so proud of it, we decided to build upon Leopard. We want to build a better Leopard, hence Snow Leopard."

Um. They sound the same to me. Jerk.

For the record, Snow Leopard looks just fine to me. It should, after three years of development on a point release.

Exchange support in Snow Leopard. Apple makes fun of Microsoft to comic effect (see above) ... Unless, of course, they need Microsoft. Which they do, to add Exchange support to its products. Oh, wait. "With Exchange support built into Snow Leopard, there is no extra charge for Mac OS users while Windows users usually have to pay extra." There it is.

Safari 4 today for OS X, Windows. Yawn.

QuickTime X for OS X, Windows. Actually, this looks good. I especially like how the UI looks like no other OS X app. Nice consistency there from the HIG.

Mac OS X is not fully 64-bit. While Windows users get 64-bit versions of Windows, Mac OS X users will, in Snow Leopard, get an OS in which most of the system is 64-bit, but many "non-major system apps" are still 32-bit.

Snow Leopard pricing. Apple is finally charging the right price for the latest in a long list of minor upgrades: $29 to Leopard users. This is exactly right, and should serve as inspiration for Microsoft. Seriously.

iPhone 3.0. The iPhone is really popular, and let's face it, it's awesome. iPhone 3.0, which I've been using since February, is a very minor update, and mostly adds things that should have been there in the first place. Biggest disappointment: Apple is adding tethering, but AT&T refuses to allow it. Hey, AT&T. F#$% you. Yeah. Really.

Apple needs to tone down the boring stuff. Look guys, here's another iPhone app. We get it. Move along, please.

iPhone 3G S. Was curious what they were going to call the iPhone 3, since the iPhone 3G was the iPhone 2.0. Now we know. Built in 7.2MBps HSDPA for data. New camera (finally). But same form factor. (Which makes sense, given the add-on market, but lacks a certain pizzazz.) I mean, where could they go with this, really? Anyway: Pricing is $199 (16 GB), $299 (32 GB). Surely there's an upgrade program for existing users. [Cricket chirps.]

Voice Control. (3GS only.) Apple copies Microsoft Sync, no one notices. And by the way, the notion of talking to a smart phone should be obvious. Just saying.

Best live keynote coverage. Engadget, hands down.

Discuss this Article 193

lotsamystuff
on Jun 8, 2009
"SD Cards across the lineup" is ridiculous for a pro line. Most high-end digital cameras (you know, the ones the pros use) utilize CF cards, not SD. With the plethora of card formats available, standardizing on ONE out of the dozen or so that are out there is just ridiculous (especially when you can buy a multicard reader for, what, around 20 bucks? Come on...). At least FireWire is in there, as God intended.
lotsamystuff
on Jun 8, 2009
Correction: SD SLOTS, not SD cards.
DRWAM
on Jun 8, 2009
Paul, I gotta compliment your style and informative 'no nonsense' posts. Although I use Windows most of the time because of work, I still mostly use my Mac at home. But I would rather get my Apple info at your site, rather than sifting through the rose colored view that other sites can give. Also, I come hear to learn more about Windows. I just wanted to applaud you...and you made me chuckle too! Thanks, Doc
lotsamystuff
on Jun 8, 2009
That's funny. "Reality Check" used to be Paul's moniker when he trolled the Macworld message boards way back when, acting as the precursor to "robertsjoe" on this board. Ah, those were the days.
shark47
on Jun 8, 2009
"Hypocrisy around Vista/7 and Leopard/Snow Leopard. " I like the way you put it. It won't go down well with the guys at Engadget, though: http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/08/apple-digs-into-microsoft-at-wwdc/
Dipsh t Admin
on Jun 8, 2009
lotsa, the world has more or less standardized on SD. Take a look at the high end Canon's, and they nearly all run SD, and a diminishing amount use CF. Heck, even Sony is getting the "picture" and moving to SD. The dozen or so formats really are whittled down to three, with SD in the lead, and CF and Sony withering away. And how many non-professionals use the MacBook Pro? I'd guess a lot. Long overdue feature.
hamiltonstallings
on Jun 8, 2009
Yep. Too many application mentions. Who cares. They keep mentioning features for the iphone that won't be available for at&t. Does this mean it will come to a new carrier?
lotsamystuff
on Jun 8, 2009
"a diminishing amount use CF" Point taken. Still think it's a mistake, but whatever. Odd to find us on opposite sides as usual, eh? At least the price drops were welcome (and overdue). "Apple needs to tone down the boring stuff. Look guys, here's another iPhone app." Oh, the horror! Focusing on developers and applications at...A DEVELOPER'S CONFERENCE! What were they THINKING?
dmccall
on Jun 8, 2009
I wonder if the voice control responds to "Hurry the $%^& up and SYNC, already!! Why does Apple feel the need to keep jabbing AT&T. Apple wasn't forced into this contract. They made their bed, now lie in it and quit whining. Oh yeah, where is that tablet? And where is that update to Apple TV that does both more than just view stolen and overpriced downloads, and allows me to record TV that I've already paid for? Microsoft is about a decade ahead of them on video.
hamiltonstallings
on Jun 8, 2009
"A DEVELOPER'S CONFERENCE! What were they THINKING?" Lol. Because clearly only developers are paying attention to this... Taking Jobs out on a date tonight?
adamb1000
on Jun 8, 2009
To call iPhone OS 3.0 a minor upgrade is false. It's quite a big major upgrade. Tons of news features added. Honestly though this WWDC was a dissapointment. I kinda expected jobs to make a quick appearance even to say Hello at the end.
DarkSages
on Jun 8, 2009
OK so if Leopard was so perfect why fix it. I can still point out many problems some that are BIG with leopard. I hope that they did fix them with snow and snow should be free. The new prices for the iPhone 3G is nice the iPhone3GS is also nice, but AT&T WTF I think that is the only reason why the other half of the country don't have one. I don't know how much ATT is giving apple to stay with them but is it worth it. Becasue of this they are making it easier for other developers to catchup
darkmax
on Jun 8, 2009
Voice dialling in iPhone.... LOL!!!!! that's at least a 10 year old function!
johnpapola
on Jun 8, 2009
Just stopping by to see of the sun still rises and sets. Yep. No change. At least we've got some strangely personal name calling in there, just in case there was a single person not sure of the bias. Splendid work, Paul. You never disappoint in your disappointment with all things Apple.
meason
on Jun 8, 2009
"Hypocrisy around Vista/7 and Leopard/Snow Leopard. " 100% Microsoft sucks for doing exactly what apple pats itself on the back for doing "Developers Conference" It's it just me? or would you expect some news on oh say development technologies, frameworks, dev tools, etc..... at one of these.... not consumer product announcements....... looks like apple fails at understanding a Dev conference vs a Consumer Conference..... I guess all windows uses should tune into TechEd and such next year note, at least form the feeds I was watching mention of the Pre at all.....
cesjr
on Jun 8, 2009
Paul's pat argument these days is that apple's new stuff is "minor". It's a subjective claim he can whip out selectively (apply to Apple, don't apply to MS). I don't see how iPhone os 3 is minor though, mainly because of all the new APIs. These things will show up in the apps, expanding their power greatly. Everyone agrees the app store is the biggest part of the iPhone's success, and the new APIs take this to another level.
DarkSages
on Jun 8, 2009
cesjr Agreed but right now Microsoft also has an app store and their APIs are more mature than the iPhones. Palm is also making one as well as RIM, so as a developer you want to build an app that will sell in all top devices. Right now it is apple, but that device is limited no buttons. Games I think sell more than any other form of software. I think Microsoft is positioning themselves to attract developers interested in selling their games in the xbox, zune, and windows mobile.
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jun 8, 2009
Wow. Was that boring. Not even enough new to make it worth being snarky about it. So, maybe we'll see something new in OS X 10.7 which, if Apple follows their normal schedule, will release in Fall 2011?
hamiltonstallings
on Jun 8, 2009
The iphone definately has the ease of api use factor going for it when developing applications. Just 1 phone. Speaking from experience, it is a lot more difficult to make applications for blackberry smartphones. Does the phone have a touch screen? What network is it on? Does it have wifi? Which OS is it running? etc...
meason
on Jun 8, 2009
@mikegalos agreed...... could have been over in 30 minutes if not for showing a bunch of apps to fill it out time wise
Waethorn
on Jun 8, 2009
"Snow Leopard pricing. Apple is finally charging the right price for the latest in a long list of minor upgrades: $29 to Leopard users." I'd say that this is just Apple's way of admitting that Snow Leopard is lipstick on a toy pig failure. "Apple copies Microsoft Sync, no one notices." Actually, they copied Microsoft Voice Command(TM) which is much older. I had that option on my Pocket PC PDA long before Windows Mobile was actually referred to as "Windows Mobile".
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jun 8, 2009
Darksages One vast difference is whether the vendor's store is A channel for distribution or THE ONLY channel allowed for distribution.
techfan
on Jun 8, 2009
I was "watching" the keynote on Engadget and Ars Technica. Ars had a CoveritLive blog going like y'all did at PDC, which I thought was better than refresing the page, like I had to do with Engadget. I thought both did a great job. That jab at MS and Windows 7 was typical Apple, but this time the hypocracy on Apple's part was a new low. Diss Windows 7 for being just an upgrade and then go on to talk about SL as an upgrade to Leopard? Really! It's strange that Apple is selling SL at $30 bucks! I think they have forgotten that their sheep are willing to pay top money a bag of Jobs diarrhea as long as it has a fruit stamped on the bag. A poster on Engadget made a good point about Apple's Windows 7: No mention of a specific feature that MS copied from Mac OS X. Just a diss. Nothing to bitch about the new version of Windows. QuickTime X does sound nice! I hope Windows users can also use the quick editor.
panache1023
on Jun 8, 2009
It did seem boring... But please, Mike Galos.....you are such a lying hypocrite it's unbelievable! OPENCL!..Talk about something new and innovative that your favorite company doesn't support! What does MS have that is equivalent to what Apple calls "Grand Central"? Meanwhile, creating an OS that has OpenCL support right out of the box to harness the power of the GPU is something you call "not enough new to be snarky about"... How's those Aero Snaps! Give me a break you lying hypocrite.
panache1023
on Jun 8, 2009
Hey Wae, What is MS's pricing plans for it's minor point release? I guess if they over charge for their point release it means it's a great new experience, but if Apple charges a SMALL amount for their point release, with some actual REAL innovation (GrandCentral, OpenCL), it's admitting that it's putting lipstick on a toy pig failure... Talk about double standards.
subzerohitman721
on Jun 8, 2009
The cheapshot on Windows 7 backfired. Somebody on UStream sent a live shot from the WWDC. When Bertrand Serlet did his cheapshot, the crowd groaned in disapproval. Seriously, if Apple execs are underestimating Windows 7, they might be in for a world of shock when Windows 7 outsells OS-X 10.6. Focus on your products and stop the cheapshots. It doesn't make Apple look like a professional company when they resort to these tactics. Overall, a decent WWDC, but this was stuff that should have been in the iPhone, new features to OS-X that's for the most part technologies already in Windows Vista and Windows 7, and really nothing earth shattering. If anything, this still puts SnowLeopard behind Windows 7. While the price drops are decent, it does nothing for the average joe whose not going to shell over a grand for this stuff. Microsoft already had code for taking advantage of multi-core in Windows Vista called Processor Power Management. Now 2 years after Windows Vista's launch, they're just getting to it? Its more like SnowLeopard is catching up to Windows Vista, mostly. Very disappointing. No Jobs, more expensive hardware, factually inept statistics, and cheap shots. Way to go there Mr. Schiller.
panache1023
on Jun 8, 2009
Subzero, No one will be surprised when Windows 7 outsells OS X 10.6 In fact, I think everyone would be surprised if it was the reverse!
Waethorn
on Jun 8, 2009
"OPENCL!..Talk about something new and innovative that your favorite company doesn't support! What does MS have that is equivalent to what Apple calls "Grand Central"?" It's called Direct X Compute in DirectX 11. The CUDA API is also an API built into NVIDIA drivers, and has been available for some time now. Where was Apple with their NVIDIA partnership on CUDA adoption? *crickets*
Waethorn
on Jun 8, 2009
"some actual REAL innovation (GrandCentral, OpenCL)" "REAL" innovation that NVIDIA and Intel have had for years now - in Windows. You're just embarrasing yourself by thinking that Apple invented this stuff.
panache1023
on Jun 8, 2009
Wae, You aren't always such an obnoxious douche bag, so why start now? Is CUDA an open standard? How many graphics cards support it? I NEVER said Apple INVENTED it. If I were you, I'd read a little bit more about CUDA instead of just spouting off at the mouth to try to prove how right you are....because it seems like you are the one embarrasing YOURSELF.
panache1023
on Jun 8, 2009
"Q : What are the advantages/disadvantages between using CUDA vs. OpenCL vs. DirectX Compute? A : CUDA is NVIDIA's GPU computing architecture and it runs C with CUDA extensions, OpenCL and DX Compute. The differences between these are stylistic. Today the only one available to develop applications with is C with CUDA extensions. OpenCL and DirectX_Compute are NOT competing against CUDA… they are different ways of accessing CUDA (in addition to C, Fortran, etc.)." read that again wae.. "OpenCL and DirectX_Compute are NOT competing against" CUDA.... So in case you haven't realized...an open standard, in most cases, such as this, is better than a closed proprietary (DirectX) method of accessing a technology...
RobertC
on Jun 8, 2009
Wow, I live in Sydney and I cannot believe I sacrificed sleep over this bore of a keynote. Two hours is a joke - and most of it was filler or a rehash of the lengthy March event earlier in the year. 1. The Microsoft ads have clearly caught Apple where it hurts - which explains the dramatic slashing of prices. Yes, they're still overpriced hunks of metal though. 2. iPhone 3.0 - overrated. It is a fantastic device, but the constant wild applause, cheering and "oooooohs and ahhhhhs" over features that other phones have had for half a decade is just rank silliness. The camera still lacks a flash, Safari still doesn't support flash....bla bla bla. I could go on and on. It's been two years already Apple, get with the program. 3. Stupid jabs at Microsoft. I mean, seriously, the height of hypocrisy. They say Windows is old tech, yet applaud and gush over Microsoft Exchange, and boast that Snow Leopard builds on a three year old Leopard! Please Apple, your conga line of front-row iCabal arse-lickers might have been born yesterday, the rest of humanity wasn't.
panache1023
on Jun 8, 2009
Wae, "CUDA provides both a low level API and a higher level API. The initial CUDA SDK was made public 15 February 2007. NVIDIA has released versions of the CUDA API for Microsoft Windows and Linux. Mac OS X was also added as a fully supported platform in version 2.0[9], which supersedes the beta released February 14, 2008.[10]" Whatever Wae, you're a real moron sometimes....stay calm and you're alright, go off the handle once you realize that Apple has something built into their OS an open standard and you go nuts off the walls...ridiculous.
RobertC
on Jun 8, 2009
Oh and one more thing, since Apple forgot, when they compared the availability of apps for each platform, it was utterly contemptible and disingenuous of them to completely exclude Windows Mobile from such comparisons. But you won't see the iCabal mentioning that.
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jun 8, 2009
"What does MS have that is equivalent to what Apple calls "Grand Central"?" A multiprocessor thread scheduler that wasn't broken in the first place. Giving a fancy name to your fix for a broken thread scheduler doesn't change it from being a catch-up bug fix to replace obsolete code.
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jun 8, 2009
RobertC Shhhh. You weren't supposed to notice that. It's like the Sometimes they're combined, sometimes they're not OS X usage numbers that Paul caught.
weedmonk
on Jun 8, 2009
I especially love the fact it's gonna cost existing iPhone users $18 and an additional $200 just to upgrade. Also you have to be "qualified" for that privilege. What a kick in the nuts especially since a lot of these people were the morons who paid $600 to beta test the original iPhone.
meason
on Jun 8, 2009
RobertC they also did not account for 99% of them being tip calculators
lehenbauer
on Jun 8, 2009
If you ignore all the innovation, this was a boring keynote. OpenCL is a major advance that is going to have a huge affect on CPU-intensive applications such as video rendering. Can't wait. (Gee, and at a developer conference. Maybe Apple isn't as dumb as you claim, lotsamystuff.) And darksages, that MS and Palm and RIM sort of have app stores now, I guess they've closed the gap. Yeah, that's the ticket. Paul neglected to mention the $99 iPhone 3G. That's a bullet aimed at Palm's heart. Apparently some investors found the keynote newsworthy, as they bid Palm down 6.5% today.
RobertC
on Jun 8, 2009
@meason, yes fart apps, tip apps, and so forth seem to be all the rage for iPhone owners.
j4m3s0n79
on Jun 8, 2009
It just seems to me that Apple is needing to say things that are more out of touch with reality to keep people interested in these press events. Sad thing is how all of these clueless media outlets give creedence to this crap by covering it second by second. I have a feeling that blog that covered Jobs' bodily functions would find a following....... Must be sad to be a sheep in the apple flock.
RobertC
on Jun 8, 2009
[Paul neglected to mention the $99 iPhone 3G. That's a bullet aimed at Palm's heart. Apparently some investors found the keynote newsworthy, as they bid Palm down 6.5% today.] Bold strategy by Apple, but Palm is working off a low base. It doesn't need to sell a bajillion phones, it just needs to sell enough to keep the company afloat and on a sustainable path of growth. The Pre has a lot going for it and it's early days yet.
panache1023
on Jun 8, 2009
MikeGalos, Once again your pathetic bias put blinders on those sexy eyes. Grand Central isn't just a "thread scheduler". If you do ANY reading at all, it's specifically optimized for multiple cores, not just multiple processors, and not just a fix of a "broken thread scheduler" as you claim. You're so pathetic it's laughable...but your beard is damn hot!
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jun 8, 2009
Uh. Hate to break it to all of you saying "Look at all the innovations announced today with OpenCL and GrandCentral, etc" but, seriously... Apple announced those OS X changes (for what little they're worth) a year ago. Apple announced the iPhone OS 3 changes three months ago. So, today's innovation was what? Rebranding Mac Book to Mac Book Pro? Adding back a Firewire port they said you didn't want? Adding an SD port? Charging for a minor service pack? Seriously. What was announced today that you think actually was technically significant.
gorath
on Jun 8, 2009
@Panache... "What does MS have that is equivalent to what Apple calls "Grand Central"?" It's called DirectX. the mature version of it, which is fully capable of utilising the GPU, is in directX11, called DirectCompute (Or something very very similar). In fact, if you use media player or center in Win7 to transcode videos to a portable device, you're ALREADY using it. Also, Adobe's Photoshop CS4 makes use of GPU processing for various (but admittedly not all) image processing. On a very similar note, a directX GPU has been capable for many many years of manipulating 3d geometry (Hardware T&L) for what seems like an eternity - arguably, this was an early step into GPU based processing. PhysX computing - processing physics simulations - has been around for a while, and is now built into Nvidia drivers for windows. There has been a GPU client for the folding@home project (and others) for several years. So, erm. Unless one of us is completely mistaken, GPU-based processing has been available in windows for a very very long time indeed, and has recently come to fruition with a complete set of APIs.
panache1023
on Jun 8, 2009
MikeGalos, Just curious, what is technically significant about Windows 7 over Windows Vista? I also like how you keep throwing in "charging for a minor service pack", but I haven't heard you say one negative thing about MS's "minor service pack" called Windows 7 (it is a point release after all, isn't it?) Will they be charging standard upgrade prices for a point release? Let's hear you talk about that.
mikegalos@msn.com
on Jun 8, 2009
Panache "Grand Central isn't just a "thread scheduler"." Right. It's a thread scheduler with a pompous name.
panache1023
on Jun 8, 2009
Mike Galos, How about including the full quote.... What makes "Grand Central" pompous anyway? I guess "Aero" for the windows desktop isn't pompous? Was it innovative? Hmmm...let's see...Mac OS X had a desktop compositing engine way before Windows...hell, even LINUX had one. Pretty amazing what that "teletype OS with only stdin, stdout, and stderr" was able to accomplish years before Windows. LOL! Dude....you start this crap and then can't keep up...lame. How's that beard?
adamb1000
on Jun 8, 2009
I wouldnt call SL a service pack, it does have a lot of changes in it but not enough to warrent the full $129 apple charges for. I thought $29 is a good price for it. I honestly expected the price to be around $50 for the os.
Ocean
on Jun 8, 2009
This was not show for the techies. It was a show for the shareholders, who will be very, very happy with parts of the business one year from now when the fruits of the show are made obvious. Anyone disagree? Apple has positioned itself well to keep both it's mind and market share...and that's all it really had to do --> Keep the OS x and iPhone/touch businesses from going stagnant, keeps its fans interested, keep the media and its best developers from developing a wandering eye. Mission accomplished. Anyone disagree?

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