iOS Apps Are Finally Coming to Mac

Apple's macOS and iOS might not be making their long-rumored merger, but the lines between the two operating systems will soon be blurrier than ever.

At WWDC 2018, the Cupertino tech giant unveiled UIKit, a new developer tool that will allow some of your favorite iOS apps to make a seamless transition to the Mac.

Apple's senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi addressed the macOS/iOS merger rumors head on at WWDC, answering the lingering question with a big, firm "No." According to Federighi, what makes macOS special is that it's explicitly tailored for desktop, which is why Apple is instead choosing to allow developers to tailor their existing iOS apps for the Mac experience.

You'll already see the first examples of this merger on Apple's upcoming macOS 10.14 Mojave update, which will feature such apps as Apple News, Stocks, Voice Memos and Home. These apps will largely look and feel like they do on iOS, but will be optimized for bigger screens as well as mice and keyboards. 

UIKit will be available for developers starting in 2019, so you can look forward to a variety of third-party iOS apps coming to your Mac starting next year. 

Michael Andronico
Editor
A devout gamer and tech enthusiast, Mike Andronico joined the Laptop team in July 2013. With a B.A. in Journalism from Purchase College and experience at GameNGuide, Examiner and 2D-X, Mike tackles everything from iPhone rumors to in-depth hardware reviews.