Next Wave: Tiger’s Real Secret Weapon - To Rock the Market

Posted by Dennis Sellers May 12, 2005 at 10:37pm

Neo is Macsimum News’ international man of mystery. If we told you more, we’d have to kill you.

“Nothing in the world is so powerful as an idea whose time has come.”
Victor Hugo

Tiger on Xserves: A Web Services OS

Mac OS X 10.4 (“Tiger”) has been receiving great reviews from the likes of ComputerWorld, The Wall Street Journal, Japan Today, TIME and countless others. Xserves with Tiger received an early review by eWeek that emphasized Xgrid, Apple’s distributed computing environment. We’re going to hear a lot more about Xgrid in the coming weeks and months ahead, yet the aspect of Tiger on Xserve that interests me the most is its powerhouse potential for being a Web Services Operating System (WS OS).

It’s very likely that most of you have never even heard of a WS OS before it popped up in a press release from IBM, Sony, and Toshiba, in relation to the CELL processor:

“Cell provides a breakthrough solution by adopting a flexible parallel and distributed computing architecture consisting of independent floating point processors for rich media processing. Cell supports multiple operating systems, including PC/WS operating systems, as well as real-time CE [Consumer Electronic] /Game operating systems.”

Frank Casanova’s keynote back in October 2004, presented the very attributes of such an OS/Framework being used in Telecom test sites like DoCoMo and KDDI – two of the most sophisticated Telecoms in the world. He clearly emphasized Tiger on Xserve’s managing and delivering web services

Those of us in North America and elsewhere that access Apple’s iTunes Music Store and actually have an account (Mac or Windows) – are now officially on Apple’s distributed computing network without even knowing it. Apple’s own Patent about the iTunes system confirms this under Abstract:

…The methods and graphical user interfaces are particularly useful for a system that provides purchase and distribution of media in a client-server environment. The graphical user interfaces can be presented to a user at a client (client machine).

References are made throughout this patent in respect to “secure network-based distribution”and media and/or media commerce servers (under patent points # 0003 and 0047 respectively). Apple’s reference to secure network based distribution isn’t something they just dreamed up, but rather relating to another open source project called the Open Grid Services Architecture—which I’ve previously covered. So grid computing is definitely a vital aspect of Apple’s iTunes distribution as it relates to Web Services– thereby confirming that Tiger on Xserve by example is a WS OS.

Here’s the summary of the patent information:
“United States Patent Application20050071780
Kind CodeA1
Muller, Max ; et al.March 31, 2005
Graphical user interface for browsing, searching and presenting classical works

“Abstract

“Improved graphical user interfaces suitable for reviewing, browsing, previewing and/or purchasing media items are also disclosed. The methods and graphical user interfaces are particularly useful for a system that provides purchase and distribution of media in a client-server environment. The graphical user interfaces can be presented to a user at a client (client machine). In one embodiment, the methods and graphical user interfaces can assist users in locating media to be browsed, previewed or purchased. The media can, for example, be audio, video and/or image data. The methods and graphical user interfaces are particularly useful for reviewing, browsing, previewing and/or purchasing classical music.”

If you’re interested in investigating this further you could check out either the Java WS Core Overview PDF or the Globus Toolkit 4.0 overview Web page. You’ll note that there are references made to Tomcat and Apache’s software Axis (the web service engine) that Apple openly supports under their Web Server page. This is all in context with grid computing business models.

Understanding this core value that Xserve with Tiger brings to market is crucial to understandinghow Apple could further exploit this advantage. The first advantage of course, is the fact that the CELL processor will indeed eventually support WS OS based servers like Apple’s Xserve. Yet as important as that will be, today’s chapter will focus on what I consider to be Apple’s core advantage: Unleashing a consumer Web Services platform – which is a whole new kind of beast – and a cool cat at that. Then again, if you already have an iTMS account, then you’re already registered on this new platform – surprise! So with Tiger on Xserve officiallyout in the wild, it’s time to review how Apple could further exploit this advantage to whole new level.

I’ll begin with a few points that I found in a recent entry in Jonathan’s Blog (President & COO Sun Microsystems) entitled “The Real Ecology of Computing” (April 25/05) – which conveniently plays into today’s theme Purrrr-fectly.

Think display over IP

Display over IP: DOIP (“Do IP”) is to the PC industry, what VOIP (voice over IP, simplistically, using the internet to make phone calls) is to the telecommunications industry. Phone calls are near to free at this point, and the business model is undergoing radical change. It’s inevitable that pervasive and sufficient bandwidth will allow most of what happens on a client to migrate to the network. Why upgrade your PC if you can rely on plentiful bandwidth to have someone centrally deliver it as a service? You don’t upgrade your TV set – BBC and News Corp do it for you every evening with fresh content. And you don’t buy a new TV to watch it.

Sun’s entry into the DOIP race is called a SunRay. [What is] its primary value? It’s a PC you never, ever upgrade – Whose intelligence is located in someone else’s datacenter. With a beautiful monitor secured with a SIM card (just like the one in your cell phone). No, it’s not perfect for all applications – SunRay only work where Google works (i.e., where there’s a reasonable network connection). But I wouldn’t bet against ubiquitous network coverage. Even on an airplane.

Sun Microsystem’s originating vision was announced during the very same week that both Apple and IBM provided theirs (as covered in chapter 11) back in 2001, yet revealing one of the missing ingredients that the others failed to include. That of course was the fact that ISPs (internet service providers), like Telecom’s, would play a central distribution role in this next wave of the internet. That my friend, is exactly what Apple’s pilot-testing has already achieved in Japan with OS X Tiger based Xserves on DoCoMo and KDDI networks, and have been doing right here in North America, as I’ve previously covered!

So Jonathan’s introduction to DOIP in context with Web Services in an Always-On environment actually provides us with the backdrop for the universal Webtone. To advance the Webtone business model, Sun introduced software subscriptions to the enterprise and Government sectors in 2004. Now is the time for that same business model to extend further into the ecosystem by introducing it to both the mobile professional and broader consumer markets.

Apple’s Webtone

By definition, a Webtone denotes continuous, immediate access to the Internet, with sufficient bandwidth to deliver services via mobile phones, supercomputers, and Web appliances. Apple’s use of Device over IP will be found symbiotically connected to Xserves – based on Tiger. Apple’s Webtone will be introduced on a new breed of hardware that won’t use OS X Tiger on the client side, but rather a new kind of consumer GUI that is “live,” always on, and ready to serve you. Apple’s hardware will be limited to several incarnations, and I’ll touch on why – later.

The best way to convey what a Live-GUI will mean – is to point you to two unique examples. The first on is found on the Aplix Corporation Web site. I’ll begin with just a little background of theirs so as to frame this basic overview, and then go right into the heart of the matter.

The launch of JBlend: In anticipation of network connectivity for consumer electronics and with a view to more efficient development, greater operability and enhanced security – JBlend was released. Java had been successfully fused with existing embedded software technology.

Following this, a version of JBlend that supported the JTRON specifications was released. (JTRON is a fusion of Java and the ITRON real-time OS, an OS that has been widely adopted in household electrical appliances.) As the first technology to support the JTRON specifications, it received much attention worldwide. The first consumer electronics running JBlend went on sale in 1999. The first products were a family digital image management system, Digital Photo Album, from Sanyo and an MD player with built-in digital camera, recording and editing functionality, MD DISCAM, from Sony. These were some of the first consumer electronics worldwide to go on sale that ran Java. This is how the Java platform for embedded computing, JBlend, made its debut.

The year 2001 was momentous for JBlend. NTT DoCoMo chose JBlend for their Java-compatible mobile phones made by Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications. Vodafone KK and KDDI, also started to utilize JBlend for their Java mobile phones. It didn’t stop just with mobile phones though; SANYO started shipping digital televisions running JBlend.

The future of JBlend: Currently the main use of the Java Runtime Environment in most mobile phones is for games, in other words it is used as a contents player to run programs that are first downloaded onto the device. A Java Runtime Environment is capable of much more than this.

The true valueof JBlend is not just as a superior contents player. Aside from games, if the other functions available on mobile phones such as the address book, calendar (PIM), messaging applications, web-browser and chat were implemented as Java applications, they could all run on the JBlend Java Runtime Environment.

That would make it possible for users to select those features they want and download them, like games, to create a mobile phone that suits their own personal tastes and needs. Another benefit for mobile network operators is the possibility of deploying new services simply by creating a Java application. The service can be launched directly to all users with mobile phones running JBlend.

Aplix is pushing forward to broaden and strengthen the adoption of JBlend in mobile phones by moving on from JBlend as a contents player with limited functionality to take full advantage of its power as a full Java Runtime Environment, a systems platform operated by Java applications capable of a wide range of comprehensive functionality.

Ahhh so isn’t that interesting – a content player transforming into a full Java Runtime environment running on a JTRON real-time OS. Think back to the beginning of this article where I pointed to the two kinds of OSes that CELL supports. I covered Tiger on Xserve, so what’s missing here is a real-time client side OS which I believe will be introduced on Apple’s new Webtone hardware – whenever it arrives.

The second example of a content player transforming into a full Java Runtime environment, relates to the desktop. A little over a year ago, I stumbled unto NEC’s “it” pilot program in Japan, which has since shut down. If you go to this page you’ll at least be able to see 2 snapshots of one aspect of this programs existence. One of the goodies that this test-pilot program provided users with was a “live” screensaver. It was a drop-dead gorgeous unfolding grid-like structure that allowed users to drop in their favorite TV channels and/or movies.

Yet the intrinsic value of this test-pilot program was its next generation content player based on JavaOS that was available for both Mac OS X and Windows. The player was very much like a small VPN for running applications, while doubling as a media player for movies and streaming media. In a flash, I knew instantly that this would be Apple’s market approach for their coming Web Services platform.

Even though I was fully aware of the fact that NEC had worked with Oracle and Apple on an NC-OS back in 1997 that was based on Apple’s Rhapsody (now OS X), it was only when I actually saw NEC’s “it” content-player that I realized what part of Rhapsody/OSX was being utilized for that NC – QuickTime. An NC can’t run a full OS, so now all of the pieces came together perfectly.

QuickTime on Steroids

Although Apple’s own future Webtone hardware will be one of the ways to attack this emerging web services market, it’s not the only way that Apple’s Live-GUI will hit the market running. Oh no. Let’s not forget that QuickTime now resides on approximately 375 million Window users’ desktops. So as in the story of Troy, Apple’s Trojan horse, once thought of as a mere content player, will surprise its host by doubling as a full Java Runtime environment/web services platform. In the twinkling of an eye, it changes everything. The Windows box is now a Tiger client powered by Xserves on the network.

When Frank Casanova made the statement that – H.264 “changes everything” a year ago, that was our clue. Think back to the NEC content player/platform example that presented itself as a small VPN window. With H.264 – users will have the ability to go full screen on the desktop – not just for streaming content like movies and IP/TV content – but also Java, pure Internet applications as PeopleSoft referenced in context with Apple’s Safari browser. Safari, I contend, will be one of the i-applications assembled within this new Web Services/Webtone platform based on QuickTime.

You know our friend over in Redmond always tries to get a head of an Apple announcement. You remember how he rushed to release Windows XP ahead of Apple’s OS X debut and even branded it so as to confuse the market. Once again, he’s trying to beat Apple to the punch, as follows:

A decade ago, Bill Gates and other executives at Microsoft decided that traditional packaged software was dead. All software would eventually be delivered via the Internet, they concluded.

Now, Microsoft is quietly working on the technological innards that will one day let the company offer corporate customers what is known in the industry as “software as a service.” Some of Microsoft’s competitors in the business software market, such as Salesforce.com and NetSuite, have been offering software as a service product for years.

Note that the NetSuite link references working with Apple’s Safari web browser and included this line: “NetSuite’s patent-pending ‘real-time dashboard’ technology provides an easy-to-use view into role-specific business information that is always up-to-date.” As C/Net pointed out, Netsuite is already delivering “software as a service” – and Netsuite is a Safari partner. And what do you know; they offer an always on “real-time dashboard” as part of that suite. Perhaps now you could understand why enterprise developers such as PeopleSoft (now Oracle), NetSuite and Business Objects have had such a keen interest in a browser that currently only holds about 1 percent market share. Yes, of course. And pleeeease – Gates and company thought of this a decade ago (1995)? Oh, you mean four years after Apple and IBM introduced their project TalOS for web services platform. Isn’t in nice to remind folks of this context? It was never an original Microsoft idea, never.

And while I’m on the subject of real-time dashboards, Apple’s new Web services client will of course support XML, which Apple’s own Web page covers as follows:

Web Services are XML-based applications, hosted on the Internet, which provide information and services to customers and users around the world.

These applications provide a wide variety of services such as stock quotes, news reports, currency conversions, language translation, zip code lookup, weather reports, spell-checking, maps and many more creative and useful tools.

That’s exactly what Apple’s very own Dashboard is all about! But isn’t Dashboard available only on OS X Tiger for the desktop? Not really. If content like iTunes is being delivered today via Xserves powered by Tiger, then any Tiger client on the network (their grid network) will have the ability to access other web services, including Dashboard – even to Windows based clients once they upgrade to QuickTime 7 – which is vital to this web services platform.

On the enterprise application front, I’d urge everyone to read this specific Workplace 2.0 article that I think could shed further light on how enterprise applications like IBM’s Workplace will run natively on Apple’s Web Service platform. Now that you understand the nature of network clients powered by Tiger, you’ll be able to understand how this all fits together. However, the unique twist to this, that isn’t covered in that article, is that business applications will be made available on a subscription basis. This is apparently something that Apple, IBM, Sun and others want to spring on the market, in concert. Now that would be a Wave alright – a Shock-Wave.

Apple’s Webtone hardware & licensing

Apple’s own Webtone hardware will likely be limited to a notebook and a simple client-display similar to that of the SunRay. There’s a third option, but that’s a story for another day. Ultimately though, we’ll finally see licensing from Apple emerge beyond the iPod.

The incredible flexibility of this new breed of platform could provide OEM’s with a variable licensing fee schedule due to the fact that they could custom tailor their units with various iapplication component combinations. It’s not a solid block like a traditional OS. In addition, licensees could also develop their own components, Dashboard widgets and perhaps even alter the color scheme of these components to match their own brands. If they don’t want to use Safari, fine – they’ll likely have the option to choose from any of the browsers available from the browser alliance that will be compliant with Apple’s framework.

Apple’s new Web Services platform will be able to be extended to Set Top Boxes and eventually network centric Televisions in 2006, as I pointed out with my Sony example in chapter 7. In fact that’s the beauty of H.264 in that it will allow Apple’s Web Services platform to scale from 3G phones to massive Plasmatron TVs with only the relevant iApplication/components that the user gets to choose! Developers will certainly see the value proposition of such a scaleable and flexible platform.

Apple, the Internet Company

If you remember, I closed chapter 12 by pointing to Apple’s Eye on the prize – being the 1.5 billion subscriber base for wireless services – referenced by Steve Jobs at a Motorola event surrounding iTunes in 2004. That pool of subscribers over the course of the next five years will individually average somewhere in the vicinity of about five wireless devices each. That’s not too difficult to imagine when you think of the wide variety of digital devices to choose from: cell phone, music player, Set Top Box, PVR, in-vehicle Telematics system, PDA and so on and so forth. Therefore that 1.5 billion subscriber base would then account for an estimated 7.5 billion digital devices. Now multiply that out by how many web services each will utilize in a given month and you have a staggering Web Services economy exploding into existence over the next five years – that never existed before! This is the market for Apple’s new Web Services platform. It was engineered brilliantly and specifically to address the needs of the next wave of the internet’s 1.5 billion subscribers!

It was Steve Jobs who made it crystal clear back in 2001 that Apple was in store for a new direction when he stated that ”…We believe Apple will be one of the ten most profitable Internet companies in the next 10 years.” What kind of company? Yes, of course, an internet company, a Web Services company! With licensing, Apple could leapfrog Redmond’s efforts – but only if they launch this now! This platform has the power to rock the market like nothing ever has before.

Why do you think both Steve Jobs and Frank Casanova have been keeping us up to date with QuickTime distribution numbers at their last several keynotes? In June 2004 Apple announced that 250 million users downloaded QuickTime and by January 2005 that figure had climbed to 330 million. Simply using Apple’s own math, they’re likely to announce a number closer to 400 million users of QuickTime during Steve Jobs Keynote this June.. And just to pound the real message home – Steve Jobs proudly touted that 98% of QuickTime users were in fact Windows users! So sorry folks, but Apple’s focus isn’t on the traditional desktop market; it’s on serving that 1.5 billion user base with advanced web services on all their digital devices! With an estimated 400 million QuickTime user base to work with, can you now understand why Apple’s new Web Services platform will be centered on their QuickTime Player? All of a sudden, that 1.5 billion subscriber base figure doesn’t sound all that daunting anymore, does it?

Apple’s coming QuickTime Web Services platform powered by OS X Tiger Xserves – is inevitable, inimitable, and will crash the gates of hell forever! – (Well, at least Redmond’s)

Next Wave of the Internet Series

Part 13: Apple’s connections to Wind River, Red Hat and Linux-ITRON

Part 12: “Apple’s NEW-TRON Bombshell”

Part 11: “Apple and IBM: Rethink the PowerPC Revolution”

Part 10: “Suddenly! The Next Wave of the Broadband Wars”

Part 9: The Next Wave: Apple Patent Reveals QuickTime TV: What the Other Sites Missed

Part 8: A Closer Peek at Sony’s CELL Patent: What’s missing here?

Part 7: The Next Wave: Apple’s Connection to the CELL Processor

Part 6: Next Wave: Motorola, MeshNetworks and In-Car iServices

Part 5: OS X Tiger’s QuickTime Could Reach More than 3 Billion Users a Day!

Part 4: Apple’s QuickTime Leaps to the Silver Screen and Beyond

Part 3: Tiger Revving-up QuickTime TV Live-Network

Part 2: On the Road to iPod-Live! In 2005

Part 1: Apple’s Next Wave of the Internet: Darwin’s leap to MAN

The Next Wave of the Internet Series
By Neo

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