What's NeXT for Apple?
I joked online earlier this week that I must have been kicked in the head by a horse, because I have gone all-in on the OS 26 Public Betas for my iPhone and my Mac mini. There are numerous takes on the current state of the betas that you can search for at your leisure, with the overall vibe being that iOS 26 is further along than expected, iPadOS 26 is a revelation that reinvents the iPad, and macOS 26 is the proverbial red-headed stepchild in the room with regards to the new "Liquid Glass" look. My take is that the iOS beta still has a ways to go, and that the macOS beta is...fine, I guess? So far, my biggest issue besides the usual beta sluggishness is the overly generous text spacing in core apps like Mail, System Settings, and Messages. The layouts require a lot more scrolling in both iOS and macOS to view content, which breaks my muscle memory. It's not a big complaint, but it's still noticeable.
Before the OS 26 pronouncements at WWDC, I had originally drafted a longer piece about simplifying the hardware choices made by 1, along with some OS suggestions that have been largely rendered moot. While the new OS approach doesn’t imply a single operating system for multiple devices, it shows the interconnectedness of Apple devices and how they can function both independently and collaboratively. With that in mind, I believe their hardware lineup can benefit from a streamlined approach that's similar in spirit to their OS revamp. In a highly imaginary world where I'm in charge of Apple, here's how I would position their major2 hardware products:
- Laptops: MacBook SE, MacBook Air (2 sizes), MacBook Pro
- Desktops: Mac SE (a stripped-down Mac mini), Mac mini, Macintosh (former iMac, 2 sizes), Mac Studio
- Phones: Apple Phone SE, Apple Phone/Phone Air, Apple Phone Pro/Ultra
- Tablets: Apple Notepad SE (former iPad mini), Apple Notepad (former entry-level iPad), Apple Notepad Air (2 sizes), Apple Notepad Pro
- Watch: Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch (former Series X, 2 sizes), Apple Watch Air
- Vision: Apple Vision SE (spectacles), Apple Vision (rumored entry-level model)
The theme will be to introduce an SE model across the lineup while still offering a good-better-best range for most of the hardware. Naming will be simplified as well, as I think it's high time to retire the "i" prefix as a relic of the 90s/early 00s. Phones will be rolled out on a staggered two-year cycle, with the lower-end phones going in Year 1 and the higher-end phones in Year 2. The Notepad SE can be marketed as more of a big-screen phone that doesn't fold--more on that NeXT--and its A-series chip can be used in the MacBook SE and possibly the Mac SE.
(My original draft had a section where I called for an appleOS, which would be the merger of iOS and iPadOS and its release number syncing with macOS. There would also be a merger of homeOS and tvOS under one name, homeOS, which has been rumored to be happening anyways.)
"One more thing..."
You may have noticed some products both existing and rumored weren't on the hardware list. The current Vision Pro is not a mainstream product, but it exists as both a proof-of-concept and as an aspirational direction for what Apple believes will come next. I'd take that idea and brand it...as NeXT, a sub-brand of Apple products featuring high-end or limited-run hardware. Think of how Maybach was for a while a higher-end brand of Mercedes-Benz, and you'd be close to what I'm getting at here. You could make all Apple NeXT products in that same shade of magnesium black as the old NeXT Cube, and you could superimpose the NeXT logo within the logo. Here's what that lineup would be:
- Apple NeXT lineup:
- Mac Pro NeXT
- MacBook NeXT (touchscreen Mac)
- Apple Phone NeXT (the foldable model)
- Apple Notepad NeXT (foldable iPad)
- Apple Watch NeXT
- Apple Vision NeXT (current Vision Pro)
The Phone NeXT and Notepad NeXT would effectively have dual operating systems, based on mode. When folded, they'll run their native OS (iOS and iPadOS, respectively). When unfolded, they'll switch to an "extended" OS (iPadOS and macOS, respectively). In a world where an appleOS combines iOS and iPadOS, the switch on the Phone NeXT would be seamless. The MacBook NeXT could even be a 2-in-1 device that folds back on itself, and switches to iPadOS in that mode. The NeXT lineup is where early developments of future system chips, such as those which split memory between a CPU and GPU, or where advanced OS testing could also occur.
In spite of adding an additional tier of hardware, I believe this approach could make things simple to understand for . Here's what's good: the SE lineup. Here's what's better: our main lineup. Here's what's best: our Pro/Ultra/Studio/Air lineup. And for those on the cutting edge or who want elite signifiers: here's what's NeXT.
And now, back to the reality of the Public Beta experience.