As we all know, Apple’s OS X operating system is an exclusive piece of software that is available on Apple’s Mac products, just like how iOS is only available on Apple made mobile devices like the iPhone and iPad. However it seems that back in the day, Apple did consider licensing out OS X and one of their potential partners was Sony. This is according Japanese writer, Nobuyuki Hayashi who has had two decades worth of experience covering Apple related news. He quotes ex-Sony president, Kunitake Ando, who claimed that back in 2001, Steve Jobs was so impressed by Sony’s VAIO lineup that he wanted OS X to be installed on it.
“Steve Jobs and another Apple executive were waiting for us at the end of the golf course holding VAIO running Mac OS.” Apparently this was shortly after Apple decided to axe the Mac clone business, but were sufficiently impressed by the VAIO that they were willing to make an exception. However the timing was not right as the VAIO lineup had recently taken off and the discussions eventually amounted to nothing. It would have been interesting to see other manufacturers offer up OS X computers but what do you guys think? Do you think Apple’s decision to make it exclusive to their own products was the right one?