With Apple’s next version of OS X (10.9) presumably scheduled for a release sometime in 2013, it’s likely they’ll introduce additional features to the Mac platform that will assist to bridge the gap between iOS and OS X. According to a new article from 9to5Mac, early variations of 10.9 are reportedly displaying integration for both Siri and Apple’s new mapping services, which was recently introduced with the release of iOS 6.
While the latest public version of OS X – 10.8 Mountain Lion – offer great support for Dictation Speech-to-Text, full Siri capabilities were regrettably left out.
If Apple follows the same trend as they did with the OS X platform as they did with the iPad, first adding Dictation functionality, later followed by full Siri support, the next iteration of OS X will hopefully bring the full-fledge virtual personal assistant to Mac users.
As far as Maps is concerned, it’s unclear whether or not the next major installment of OS X will be equipped with a standalone Maps app. The report suggests that Apple will offer an option for developers to integrate their new mapping service directly into apps, but that option could be introduced in tandem with a Maps app tailored specifically for OS X.
Although an exact release date is near impossible to pin down, if Apple continues the same pattern they have with the last two versions of OS X, developers may be testing OS X 10.9 in early 2013, with a release scheduled in the summer months. Stay tuned for complete coverage on both Apple and their next major OS X release.
