Apple unveils OS X Mountain Lion (10.8), thins line between OS X and iOS

Boy, I wasn’t expecting this. Apple has revealed the next decimal number to the Mac OS X operating system, codenamed Mountain Lion, arriving this summer.

OS X 10.8 will thin the line between the OS and iOS on Apple’s mobile platforms, adding familiar iOS features like Notification Center, Reminders, Twitter integration and Game Center, while improving the experience when using iCloud, Notes and Messages, which will be replace iChat, adding iMessage cross-platform messaging functionality.

Newer features previewed are Airplay Mirroring, which will allow a mirrored stream across a network to a HDTV via Apple TV (or even Apple’s own rumoured HDTV, for that matter) for presentations and video playback; and Gatekeeper, a big-sister security function that prevents users from downloading malicious content without their knowledge as well as preventing the download of apps from anywhere but the App Store. Kind of a subtle hint of iOS App Store control, perhaps?

The operating is expected to be out this summer with no word on pricing. Apple developers may download the preview build on the Developers Network.

OS X Mountain Lion Sneak Peek [Apple]