Apple: It is easy to transfer iOS apps to macOS, but no merging

Federighi emphasizes that macOS will never merge with iOS, not even for a touch screen.

At WWDC a few days ago, Apple shared a tool for developers to efficiently transfer iOS apps to macOS, announcing the feature will be available for third-party developers by 2019. But we still have many doubts. Wired has published the interview of Craig Federighi, Apple’s software engineering supervisor, who gave specific answers about this transfer project.

Federighi expressed that this project was established two years ago mainly involved the update for UIkit, as Apple needed to make this iOS frame works for macOS. He also emphasized that it did not mean macOS would be able to run iOS App right after this, it is not automatic. Developers will need to do some extra programming.

When apps are being compiled with Ecode, for example, some interacting UI of iOS app can be completed themselves, e.g. “pressing” changes to “double-click”. But some interfaces, such as menu and sidebar, are totally different on touch screen and general display. If developers want to move several buttons or make the sidebars semitransparent, they need to do it manually.

Federighi has made it clear at WWDC that Mac and iPad would never merge and it would always be the same. You can connect it with external display, video card, mouse and keyboard, except for a touch screen; otherwise you will need to raise your hand relatively higher when using your laptop or desktop, which would be unnecessarily tiring.