Apple CEO Tim Cook says iOS (iPad) and OS X (iMac, MacBooks) will remain two distinct operating systems for their respective lineup of devices.
However, Cook did acknowledge that the two platforms have borrowed a certain amount of functionality and features from each other, including Messages, Reminders, Game Center and the Notifications Center.
Nevertheless, Cook emphasized that the tablet and notebook form factor would not be converging anytime soon.
“Anything can be forced to converge. But the problem is that the products are about tradeoffs,” Cook explained during an earnings call transcribed by AppleInsider.
“You begin to make tradeoffs to the point where what you have left at the end of the day doesn’t please anyone… You can [even] converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but you know, those things are probably not going to be pleasing to the user.”
According to the recently appointed CEO, Cupertino has always believed there would be a significant market for tablets.
“Our view is that the tablet market is huge. The iPad has taken off, not only in consumer [markets] in a meaningful way, but in education and in enterprise, and its sort of everywhere you look now,” he said.
“As the ecosystem gets better and better and as we double down on making great products, I think the limit here is nowhere in sight.”
Indeed, Apple sold 67 million iPads during its first two years, which is particularly impressive, as it took 24 years to sell that many Macs, five years to sell that many iPods and three years to sell that many iPhones.
Unsurprisingly, Cook was also careful to note that he saw “tremendous potential” for conventional systems like the popular MacBook Air.
“We continue to innovate in that product. But I do think that it appeals to someone that has a little bit different requirements… You wouldn’t want to put these things together because you end up compromising in both and not pleasing either user. Some people will prefer to own both, and that’s great too. But to make the compromise of convergence, we’re not going to that party,” he added.
