When it comes to your next upgrade for your computer, it will remind you more of the device that you carry with you every day of the week. Apple’s new OS X 10.8, named Mountain Lion, as well as Microsoft’s Windows 8, are both in development and share interface and applications that mimic our cell phones today.
OS X 10.8 is a departure from the previous versions of the operating system in that they dropped the prefix “Mac” which denotes their shift away from what is familiar with desktops and laptops. The addition of Notification Center and iMessage makes the new version of OS X not much unlike that of iOS in use on the iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.
Windows 8 appears vastly different in their interface by using the design of their mobile OS Windows Phone. Revolving around large typography, it also works on the principle of being more useable with touch screens and less made for the computers of today.
Both system are still in development, but they both signal a merging of technology between what our phones and computers are. With cell phones becoming more and more powerful in their processing abilities while still maintaining battery life, the gap between what a computers can do and what a phone can do is shrinking. And with a merging of the hardware gap, the software is also catching up. n