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iPhone Not Running OS X

rochlin writes "We know that Steve Jobs has said the iPhone won't accept third-party apps. The iPhone looks to be running on a Samsung provided ARM core processor. That means it's not running on an Intel (or PPC) core. That means it's not running OS X in any meaningful sense (Apple can brand toilet paper as running OS X if they like). Darwin, the BSD based operating system that underlies what Apple has previously been calling OS X, does not run on ARM processors. The Darwin / Apple Public Source licensing agreement says the source would have to be made available if it is modified and sold (paraphrased; read it yourself). A Cingular rep has said the iPhone version of the OS source will not be made available. It will be closed, like the iPod OS and not like Darwin. So if it ain't Darwin, it ain't OS X (in any meaningful way). An InfoWorld article on an FBR Research report breaks down iPhone component providers and lists Samsung as the chip maker for the main application / video cpu. So, that leaves the question... What OS is this phone really running? Not Linux or the source would need to be open."

2 of 476 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Optimised OS X sits on 'versatile' flash by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant

    This is really neither here nor there, but Joswiak sounds like the result of an unholy crossbreeding of Steve Jobs and Steve Wosniak. I just wonder how he got the first name Greg.

  2. MOD PARENT DOWN by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant

    This post isn't a reply to the GP at all, you just replied to the FP so your comment would be higher up.