( CNN ) -- Apple released Mountain Lion to developers last week , a new operating system that will make your desktop computer work more like your phone than ever before . The trend is clear : The desktop operating system will merge with the mobile OS in the coming years . The question is : Why ? Let 's start with the trend itself . First off , Apple is integrating cloud services much more deeply in Mountain Lion than any previous operating system . That means your music , photos , calendars , contacts , emails and more can now stay in sync across your phone , tablet and Mac . Apple has also unified your messages across your devices : The Message app ( formerly iMessages ) will replace iChat on the Mac . That 's not all : Mountain Lion also gets a notification center that works just like the notifications you receive on your phone . Games Center is coming to the Mac as well , allowing you to play games against your friends who own iPhones and iPads . Apps like Reminders , Notes and Contacts are also all getting desktop versions -- and of course these sync with your mobile devices so your data is always up to date . Most notable of all : Apple is now pushing software updates through the Mac App Store , hinting that the App Store may become the only way to get software on your Mac in the future . So what are the advantages of your desktop computer merging with your phone 's functionality ? And are there any downsides ? Simplicity . The main reason Apple wants to make Macs work like the iPhone and iPad is simple . Or rather , simplicity . Despite decades of innovation and the invention of the graphical user interface , computers remain too confusing and complex for the majority of people . While more powerful software with complex functionality will continue to exist for highly technical users , most consumers want a device that 's easy to use and intuitive . The rise of the iPad and iPhone prove that there 's huge demand for such simplicity , and that desktops too will need to become more streamlined . The downside of simplicity ? Simple systems are often less `` open '' and provide less freedom to try new things : Tasks are either easy to complete ( because the developers thought of that use case ) or not possible at all . Security . Mobile operating systems could potentially be more secure than their desktop counterparts . In particular , if Apple makes the App Store the only way to download apps to your Mac , it would become more difficult for users to install malware ( since Apple manually approves every app in the store ) . What 's more , mobile features like tracking the location of your devices or wiping them remotely will make consumer desktops more secure . There are downsides to app stores , however . Not only would devices become less open -- the makers of operating systems become gatekeepers -- but you could argue that Apple and its rivals simply want to force the use of app stores so that they make more money for themselves . Syncing . Perhaps the most obvious benefit of making desktops work more like phones is unity between all your devices . With a similar ( or single ) operating system on all your gadgets , syncing apps , contacts and calendars between them all becomes effortless . There 's a downside for users , however : Competing operating systems tend not to work well together , and using one operating system across all devices means uses are `` locked in '' more than ever before . So there you have it : Your desktop computer is becoming more and more like your phone -- and in fact the line between the two will one day disappear . If you think it 's just Apple 's devices that are headed toward a simpler operating system , however , you 'd be mistaken -- Apple is merely in the news because Mountain Lion became available to developers last week . In fact , Microsoft 's Windows 8 takes its cues from Windows Phone , meaning that the two major desktop operating systems will mimic your mobile devices very soon .
Desktop operating systems will merge with mobile OS in the coming years . Comment: But simple systems are often less `` open '' and provide less freedom to try new things .