No matter how many times Apple rules out the prospect of an iOS and macOS merger, people are still asking the firm when it’s going to happen.
And, given that folks are still hoping it’ll happen, we have a responsibility to continue reporting on the latest quashing of said hope.
This time word comes directly from the horse’s mouth. Apple CEO Tim Cook told the Sydney Morning Herald such a move would ‘water down’ the respective operating systems.
He said: “We don’t believe in sort of watering down one for the other. Both [The Mac and iPad] are incredible. One of the reasons that both of them are incredible is because we pushed them to do what they do well. And if you begin to merge the two … you begin to make trade offs and compromises.”
Related: iOS 12
The latest comments come after reports suggesting Apple was planning to unify the iOS and macOS code to enable software developers to create universal apps.
Cook’s denial doesn’t mean that won’t happen in some form, but it certainly won’t be via a merger of the two distinct operating systems.
He pointed out that, although such a move could make Apple more efficient as a company, that isn’t the firm’s focus.
Cook added: “You know it’s about giving people things that they can then use to help them change the world or express their passion or express their creativity. So this merger thing that some folks are fixated on, I don’t think that’s what users want.”
In some instances macOS users would probably benefit from having access to iOS apps and vice versa. The macOS App Store would doubtless benefit from an influx of apps from the iOS counterpart.
The developer community could also benefit by offering its apps to both Mac and iOS users without too much extra work.
Whether Apple is still working on enabling dual compatibility of apps remains to be seen. We’re likely to find out for sure at WWDC 2018 on June 8.
Would you like to see Apple merge iOS and macOS? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
