“Following the news that Apple had refocused their plans for iOS 12 around stability and performance over new features, many were quick to liken the move to a ‘Snow Leopard release’ of iOS,” Michael Steeber writes for 9to5Mac. ” In recent years, the phrase has reached mythological status in the Apple community, a catch-all referring to stable software and ‘the good ol’ days’ of the Mac.”
“But how did this perception develop? Was Mac OS X Snow Leopard really the gold standard of software releases, an undefeated champion in the halls of computing history?” Steeber writes. “Apple started the ball rolling at the announcement of Snow Leopard during WWDC 2009 by marketing it as having ‘no new features.’ Mac OS X Leopard had been a blockbuster release with over 300 new features, and Snow Leopard was a refinement.”
“In some ways, the narrative is out of Apple’s hands. The myth of Snow Leopard is bigger than life, a cultural reference rooted in nostalgia,” Steeber writes. “However, a kernel of truth persists underneath the mythology. Improvements to iOS and macOS, no matter how small, contribute to a better experience for everyone. Fixing bugs might not be as marketable as shiny new Animoji or a fresh design, but maintenance can only be deferred so long. If Apple can knock stability out of the park in 2018, maybe the legend of Snow Leopard can finally be put to rest.”
Much more in the full article – recommended – here.
MacDailyNews Take: It was the good old days not because Snow Leopard was perfect (it wasn’t), but because Steve was still with us.
We welcome Apple’s focus on quality even as we lament that what was once integral being allowed to work at Apple has now become a special occasion. There’s no need to stop to clean up the mess if the mess wasn’t made in the first place.
SEE ALSO:
Despite feature hold in focus on quality, Apple still aims to allow iOS apps to run on Macs this year – January 31, 2018
Apple’s iOS 12 could finally fix systemic frame rate issues and interface inconsistencies – January 30, 2018
Apple delays planned 2018 iOS features to focus on reliability, performance – January 30, 2018
Why Apple desperately needs a new Steve Jobs – January 29, 2018
At Tim Cook’s Apple, Steve Jobs is long gone, and so is the ‘it just works’ ethos – December 19, 2017
The Washington Post: ‘Why doesn’t Apple make its devices as carefully as it’s making Apple Park?’ – December 11, 2017
Under ‘operations genius’ Tim Cook, product delays and other problems are no longer unusual for Apple – November 20, 2017
Apple’s desperate Mac Pro damage control message hints at a confused, divided company – April 6, 2017
Who has taken over at Apple? – April 5, 2017
Apple’s embarrassing Mac Pro mea culpa – April 4, 2017
Mac Pro: Why did it take Apple so long to wake up? – April 4, 2017
AirPods: MIA for the holidays; delayed product damages Apple’s credibility, stokes customer frustration – December 9, 2016
Lazy Apple. It’s not hard to imagine Steve Jobs asking, ‘What have you been doing for the last four years?’ – December 9, 2016
Apple is misplaying the hand Steve Jobs left them – November 30, 2016
Open letter to Tim Cook: Apple needs to do better – January 5, 2015