QuickTime X

Apple has finally posted Snow Leopard information up on their website, and I found the following to be the most interesting:

"Using media technology pioneered in OS X iPhone, Snow Leopard introduces QuickTime X, a streamlined, next-generation platform that advances modern media and Internet standards. QuickTime X features optimized support for modern codecs and more efficient media playback, making it ideal for any application that needs to play media content."

Will QuickTime X finally bring one of Apple’s oldest technologies up to par with real internet standards? With support for "modern codecs" mean Mac users will finally be able to view, say, .avi files without resorting to either the VLC player or converting them over to MP4 files with MediaHub? (A fantastic application in its own right.) I would hope so. I also hope this signals support for modern video codecs on the AppleTV as well, finally making that devise the default internet video viewing hardware of choice it should and could be.

This is interesting. QuickTime was first released in December 1991, making it seventeen years old. It is one of the oldest technologies Apple still uses and supports. Unfortunately, Apple has lagged far behind with keeping QuickTime updated for the modern internet web user. Many of the developer functionality that were build-in to QuickTime have been abandoned by Apple. It is one of the last major Apple technologies to truly make the transition to the modern OS and new web technologies.

I hope to learn more about QuickTime X soon.

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