Apple announces Leopard delays due to the iPhone

I am surprised that with all of these comments, no one has expressed the foresight that the iPhone's UI is a safe-ish testing water for our next-gen computers. If it flops, then it was a blip on the radar. If it happens to be the most intuitive input method ever, then it will be standard equipment one day very soon, akin to mice and keyboards. This is a leap into space, but what if these purported secret features of Leopard include this UI? With a steady roll out of computers and monitors that take advantage of it?

If none of this is true (and the chance certainly exists), then I'm with others - Apple, Inc. is slowly driving me back toward linux on beige boxes. Ubuntu's looking pretty sweet these days ....

(and the standard, shame on apple for leaving us out to dry over a stupid phone)

Yes, it's disappointing. Yes, it's a pain. And, yes, I'll wait for it. I bought an iMac about a month ago, thinking that I'll get Leopard in about 2 months "post-purchase". Well, now I have a little more time. Now, where did I put that Parallels DVD?

I am more upset about the delay with iWork than with the new OS--was really looking forward to using it. I'm also glad to have gone ahead and trusted my instincts and bought a MacBook Pro instead of waiting. Perhaps they will bring down some of their prices on the top end models now that there isn't much to look forward to with a new OS for a few months.

This is precisely what Mac fans were afraid of when Steve announced the removal of 'Computer' from the company name - that Apple Inc. would shift its focus away from the Mac and OS X and put its emphasis on the 'toys'. Clearly Apple over-extended themselves on trying to put out the iPhone and Leopard at the same time, and clearly one needed to be delayed to ensure they are both quality products. However, Apple made the wrong choice in delaying Leopard for the benefit of the iPhone.

Delaying the iPhone until October would position it perfectly for holiday sales, but delaying Leopard puts the hurt on students needing new computers for fall semester and those of us who have waited 6-9 months to purchase a new system so we can get Leopard on it immediately.

I love Apple dearly, but this was a big screwup, and they are going to lose some serious face for it. People who were already worried about Apple's priorities are going to be even more worried now, and people who want to ditch Microsoft because of Vista are going to think twice, seeing as the version of the OS that all us Apple fans have talked about isn't ready yet.

At the very minimum, Apple needs to provide a voucher for a free upgrade to Leopard with all Mac purchases as of the WWDC keynote.

I hope Steve is VERY unhappy about this announcement...

Has anyone considered that rolling back the release date is just a precaution? Isn't it possible that Apple may end up releasing Leopard BEFORE the October date? The sky isn't falling. Chill people!

@Embrace

Vista is not a "Completly new OS coding". It's an upgrade to XP. It's NT 6. Built on the same code base as NT, 2000 and XP. Granted its vastly improved but it is NOT a complete new code base.

I am a computer fan, I own a couple Macs and even more PCs. I enjoy Macs more than PCs. When delays happen on either side I am upset at first because of looking forward to them, however, in the long run there are good reasons for it and its fine.

The reason people are so pissed about Vista's delays is because it was SO LONG, as well as leaving out the best features of the OS such as WinFS.

Delays are fine and expected, just don't cut half the features you list a year earlier just to get it out with another year delay.

Okay, okay - we're all disappointed. But one plus I see is the near final build and beta available @ the WWDC. Before this announcement we were all wonder when between now and June we'd see something. Now it's almost certain that we won't see any new feature announcements until the WWDC, at which point Apple will present a near final build and distribute the beta. Could be worse - at least we're not following Longhorn, er, Vista release schedule.

@Matteo: and Apple can't even launch the iPhone "as is" in Europe, since for all it's GUI niceness it's a very, very, very, VERY technically outdated model compared to what we're used to over here.

Apple will now probably memory hole every jab they ever made on Microsoft OS delays. And they should since they didn't get it out the door in time either.

I must say I wonder how you justify a delay like this on a relatively mediocre mobile (again, not considering the GUI).

And people who think that Apple is going to ship tens of millions of iPhones... I don't think so, unless they can bundle some interesting discounts and flatrate internet access.

They first need to fix 10.4.9 though. It has crippled my mouse (misterpreting single/double clicks, unable to rename files or select text in certain programs).

If this is where Apple software is going, I'm sure we'll be at 10.5.5 before it's anywhere stable.

I'm not touching it, come October. Christ, It'll be AUTUMN then. * shakes head in disbelief *

My comment?
Well... I understand what Apple says, i.e. they had to shift programmers from MacOSX to iPhone. I wonder, however, why they didn't PLAN such a shift in order to allow a timely release of Leopard. Leopard has been announced more than a year ago, and I think it is about time they deliever the promised product. iPhone, has been around much less so I really wonder...

On a different note. Apple is offering more and more products (iPhone, AppleTV) so it is boradening the product offer. What it lacks, and it is a major lack in my opinion, is an international focus. US is at the center of their strategy (and this is ok) but all other markets are considered minor. Competition in those markets (Microsoft's Zune, MP3 players, Linux, Vista) is on a steady rise and Apple really risks endangering their market share in a very short run.

The company will quicly lose it's head start advantage in many sectors (AppleTV content only available in the US, Microsoft worldwide and Satellite TV, Cable TV and IPTV providers aren't sleeping).

Leopard really should have been planned much better and released ON TIME. AppleTV iPhone are just toys (good ones though) destined to the US market primarily.
Leopard could have broadened user base, in particular due to dissatisfaction towards Vista, but now Microsoft has time until october to relase patches, updates, software for Vista.

So?

Apple is dangerously giving too much attention to the US market to be a serious global player. When the iPhone will be released in Europe much of the buzz will be gone and much of the competition will have come out with good alternatives. Nokia, SonyEricsson, Samsung are not dumb...

So, Apple, stop releasing superb products for a geographical niche... Keep your focus on the ones you can sell worldwide and which will help push sales of other stuff keeping your brand in the mind of customers in a positive way.

Leopard, video content outside the US (for AppleTV and iPod alike), iLife07, iPhone in other markets (UMTS iPhone!!). Apple has better fix this issues quickly or they will soon loos market share and, more important, brand awareness...

It could be worse.
At least we'll see Leopard before we see another episode of Battlestar Galactica.