The guys over at LowEndMac have found themselves with a strange question regarding the iPhone. Is it really a Mac? For most people, this isn't really a question that they are going to lose sleep over. But since they only cover Mac products, they've obviously been putting a lot of thought into this one.
They make some interesting arguments for both sides. It shouldn't be a Mac since it is locked down with no way to expand, it isn't powered by any of the traditional Mac processors, and even the original Mac had a higher screen resolution (512 x 342).
On the other side of the coin it does run OSX. Even if it's not the same as you'll see on your desktop. Also, we're bound to see a lot of the same technologies from the iPhone in a MacTablet, if the device ever comes about, and we'll no doubt call that a Mac.
They finally decided that the iPhone is in fact a Mac. Well, I for one am glad that dispute can be laid to rest.
The iPhone: Is It a Macintosh? [via lowendmac]
I’ve wondered this myself. But iPhone will supposedly restrict certain file downloads, so it won’t be a fully-functioning “Mac.”
Great site, by the way. I find a lot of your articles via Google News.
One of the best descriptions I’ve heard regarding Apple is this: Apple is a great software company that provides it’s own hardware to run it’s software. The iPhone is no different. Without OS X/Apple software the iPhone would be just another cellphone. So I’d have to agree, the iPhone is indeed a Mac. (…and so it the Apple TV)