LEFT FIELD
This piece in Ars Technica titled "Mac OS X market share sets new record at end of 2007" highlights the 7.3% share Macs have taken at the end of November. This by itself is not that much of a surprise.
What was more interesting was what the piece has to say about the iPhone, introduced just six months ago:
"Finally, the iPhone has tripled its admittedly meager market share, going from .04 percent in July to .12 percent six months later. What's interesting here is not the uptake so much as how the iPhone is categorized—as an OS."
Here's a tech projection for 2008 I hadn't seen coming:
"It's quite possible that by the end of 2008, the iPhone will surpass Linux, which isn't too hard since it rates only .63 percent."
That is something to consider, given how long us computer geeks have waited for more friendly user interfaces for Linux based computers to catch on. One of the minor tech highlights of 2007 was Dell finally introducing Linux based computers and laptops for mainstream users.
That the iPhone could be the the hare that passes the Linux turtle so quickly is something special.
Especially since Apple has committed to delivering an SDK (software developer kit) that finally makes it possible for third-party developers to bring forth a flood of applications for the iPhone, in an approved manner that won't break with the release of every update of the iPhone "OS".
It's one of the key tech developments I'm looking forward to in 2008.
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