Back in January, when few details where known about the new device, I stated that the AppleTV was really a stripped down Mac Mini. Now that the product is available and that some clever hackers have been able to boot a complete version of OSX on the device, it is clear that I was right.
A couple of months ago I was wondering what kind of OS an Apple cellular phone would use. At the time, I thought that using OS X was unrealistic. The reason I believed that is because there have been traditionally large differences between operating systems for embedded systems and full fledged computer. This may not be evident for the general public who may think that Linux or Windows Mobile have some close relationship with their desktop counterpart, but it is a fact.
The fact that the Apple TV runs a scaled down version of Mac OS X shows that Apple is moving down the same path. However, the effort seems far from complete, based on the fact that a fully functional computer is still required in order to stream video from a computer to a TV. That is why the Apple TV is relatively expensive when compared to similar (not identical) products from the competition. The foundation Apple is working on was designed for desktop computers, not embedded systems and it shows. The only experience Apple has with embedded devices is the iPod and they were not responsible for most of the design decisions, relying instead on third party suppliers like PortalPlayer (now owned by nvidia).
Developing a true embedded OS takes time. Microsoft has spent years working on Windows Mobile and we know how bad that system was in earlier versions, when it was known as Pocket PC. Linux is just emerging now as a true contender in this market. From my point of view, based on the analysis of the AppleTV hardware and software, Apple does not have at this time a true, mature, embedded OS. This is probably the reason why the iPhone will not support, at least initially third party applications.
The important question however is, does it matter? A couple of years ago I would have answered with a resounding YES. Today I am not so sure anymore. New technologies mean that embedded devices are getting more powerful by the minute, offering capabilities and performance much closer to what desktop computers can deliver. Origami devices (ultra mobile PCs) are a clear example of this trend, small devices running a full desktop OS. This means that having a true embedded OS is no longer the same strategic advantage it used to be. Apple may have to struggle quite a bit to overcome the limitations of OS X as an embedded operating system for some time but ultimately creating a complete software foundation over a complete OS may turn out to be a good decision for the future. Maybe this is another demonstration of “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.”.