Apple May Combine iOS And Mac Apps In 2018

If a new report is to be believed, Apple might allow developers to create a single app that runs on both iOS and macOS. Apple is reportedly planning to give users a single set of apps that work equally well on iPhones, iPads, and Macs. The company is said to converge apps for both platforms starting late next year. Developers will be able to design a single app that works as well with a touchscreen as it does with a mouse and trackpad.

Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reports that Apple will adopt this approach to improve the app selection for Mac users.

Developers currently have to develop apps separately for iOS and Mac. Not only does that mean developers have to put in double the effort, but users often claim that the macOS apps don’t get as much attention from developers as the iOS versions do.

Twitter’s official app is a perfect example of this. While the company regularly updates its iOS app with new features, it takes months to bring the same features over to Mac. If Apple enables developers to create a single app for both platforms, it’s going to bridge the gap and bring new features to Mac users faster.

The report mentions that Apple is going to introduce this change as part of the next major iOS and macOS updates that are going to be released in the fall next year. The plan itself is likely to be announced in the summer next year at Apple’s annual developers’ conference.

Apple has not confirmed or denied this report.

Adnan Farooqui
Categories: Apple
Tags: Apps, iOS, Mac (Apple)