Operating Systems, Apple, AI A batch of thoughts on technology.

A unified OS

I wrote about unifying app experiences on mobile a few years ago (before GenUI even was a thing), and I called it Othara. Back then, I thought of it as “forcing developers to use the unified layouts of the OS,” just like I can quickly set up a SwiftUI application that will absolutely feel like an iOS app. But with the rise of AI, it’s actually possible to have the AI generate the user interface on the fly based on templates, better than ever. If every app is the same, built using a set of components and filled with content, then AI could learn how to do things easier and better than it ever could with current systems like Apple’s App Intents.

Why is there a need for apps to look different? Why does WhatsApp have to look different from Messages, or Spotify from Apple Music?

Apple

Phones are stagnating. It didn’t feel exciting at all moving from an iPhone SE 2nd gen to an iPhone 16. Imagine how it would’ve felt going from, for example, an iPhone 12 to the 16. OS updates get me excited, but this wasn’t it. I hate every piece of iOS that I use, nothing is working. I used to think this was because I was using an older phone, but no, it’s just the system that is so incredibly bad. How can it be that Apple’s UI is full of little issues, animations missing or gradients being cut off? Apple used to care. That’s what made them unique. How come no QA person cares? Why do I have a list of 10 UI bugs just in the onboarding when you get your iPhone?

If I had to say that I am a fan of a certain company, I would’ve said Apple for the better part of my life. I grew up watching every single Apple keynote, streamed to Vienna, life from Cupertino. I remember being little, being allowed to stay up later than usual, just to finish watching the entire presentation. And I like Apple’s products. Today, I am seriously on the verge of jumping ship to the other side. And the fact that I, after all, am even considering that, means that Apple needs to up their game.

But why does moving from an iPhone SE 2nd Gen to an iPhone 16 not feel exciting? Honestly, I could still be using my old phone with a new battery, and there’s nothing the new one lets me do that really changes anything. I originally wanted to buy a Google Pixel because it would have been exciting to try something totally different. Sure, I losing Airdrop and shared family iCloud is pretty stupid, but otherwise, I wouldn’t really miss much. Here in Europe, everyone just uses WhatsApp, so iMessage isn’t a big deal. Going with a Pixel would have been new and exciting, just not necessarily better. It wouldn’t have been the smart choice, only the fun one. And I think that’s how a lot of people who switch to Android feel.

And they’re right about that sentiment. On paper, Android actually seems like the better OS these days. “Circle to Search” is brilliant for example. I can’t speak about real-world stability since I haven’t used an Android long-term, but every time I try a Samsung or Pixel phone in a shop, it feels laggy just by opening a few apps.

Artificial Intelligence

AI. Not sure the world needs another chatbot. I side with Giannandrea on that, even though that’s a pretty controversial statement. But people want smart experiences. They’re working on the new Siri right now. Something I’ll never understand is why those in charge for Siri, Bixby, Alexa, etc. over the years haven’t just watched a “Siri vs. Google Assistant” video in 2018, written a list of what didn’t work, and just hard-coded improvements in? Something must have been architecturally so bad in those systems that this wasn’t possible, which is crazy to think about.

You can’t learn coding faster than AI progresses. Right now, AI can replace half a programmer, but it’ll be a whole programmer by the end of next year, two by the end of the next year, and so on. But at the same time, coding is not the essence of engineering; it’s thinking problems through. Getting assistance by intelligence and LLMs might just be the best thing that could have happened. There’ll always be someone in charge of technology. That engineer will always have to exist. So for now, I don’t “worry” about AI.