The Mac is the PC’s biggest rival. But like all good rivals, there’s some mutual respect between the two operating systems. And even the most diehard PC fans admit there are some Mac features that they would like to see on PC.
Here are our 5 favorite Mac features that we would love to see on PCs anytime in the near future:

5) The Retina display on laptops

It’s hard not to admire the Retina display. It’s a major advantage that the MacBook Pro has over all other laptops in the world. The secret to the Retina display is a stunningly high resolution (2880×1800 on the 15” MacBook Pro and 2560×1600 on the 13” MacBook Pro). That means 1080p video playback looks better than any other laptop in the world.
We’re not saying PC laptops are noticeably pixelated. But it’s hard not to feel jealous when you’re sitting beside a MacBook Pro owner in a college lecture hall and comparing your screen to his. It’s our generation’s version of standing at a urinal stall with other guys.
Since the resolution is basically double that of a standard PC (1366×768), Apple wins that contest hands down.

They’re called Retina displays because it’s supposed to be impossible for the human eye to notice any pixels at a normal viewing difference. That means crisp, clear picture whenever you use your laptop. PC laptop users are jealous.

4) Messaging

If you have an iPhone, you can send texts over your MacBook using the built-in Messaging services. In fact, all messages enter the same inbox, making it easy to keep in touch with your friends. We all know how annoying it is to switch from your big computer screen to a tiny smartphone screen to type out a text when you’re sitting at your desk – how hard would it be to add this feature to PCs?

But wait, you say. PC laptops already have this technology. Yes, programs like Kies can connect your Android to your PC and allow you to send messages. But the connection isn’t seamless and automatic – which is what Mac OS X is all about.
Look for Microsoft to add this feature in the near future – but it will probably only work with Windows Phone 8.

3) Notification center

A notification center is a central part of most of today’s smartphones. The notification center keeps users updated on all recent events that occurred on the phone – from text messages to Facebook notifications. A feature like this would be extremely useful on laptop PCs. And yes, the Live Tiles on Windows 8 have a quasi-Notification Center feature, but it’s not very intuitive and it doesn’t even have on-screen indicators.

2) iCloud integration

Apple has become a master at integrating cloud services into their operating systems. Take a picture on your iPhone and it appears on your MacBook in seconds. Sure, laptop PCs have this feature thanks to services like Dropbox, but it’s not integrated into every part of the PC. Apple syncs music, apps, documents, and all other important data over the cloud automatically.
Of all the features on this list, this is the one that Microsoft is most likely to integrate in the near future. It’s already started to push SkyDrive adoption hard on Windows 8.

1) Frequent operating system updates

Apple releases software updates throughout the year along with major updates on an approximately annual basis. These updates tweak the user interface in many ways, always with the goal of improving  the design and making it easier for users to do whatever they need to do.
Microosft, on the other hand, releases small security updates for its opersating systems throughout the year along with an occasional service pack upgrade that doesn’t change anything major. Instead, the major updates come in the form of a totally new operating system – like Windows 7 and Windows 8 – a service for which Microsoft charges about $100.
We like Apple’s update model better. And it looks like Microsoft has listened. Look for Windows Blue/Windows 8.1 to adopt a more Apple-like update system.
Do you agree with our choices for the best Apple features that could be ported to Windows? Let us know in the comments section below! You never know when a Microsoft exec could be reading…