Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Plans to Let Developers Release Universal Apps That Work Across iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Honestly, I think that it will be a big mistake:
  • The use case of a mac is pretty different than the use case of iOS device, I barely see apps that I need in both systems.
  • The developers who decided to do it, will face to a big challenge to adapt one app to run in a 27" 5K iMac with keyboard/mouse/trackpad and also to a 5inch iPhone with only touch controls.
  • And if they do it, what would be the price of the app?
  • There is a lot of fragmentation on mac in terms of hardware and this will cause that mac apps would be harder to maintain and they will be so buggy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Solomani and decafjava
robertosh said:
Honestly, I think that it will be a big mistake:
  • The use case of a mac is pretty different than the use case of iOS device, I barely see apps that I need in both systems.
  • The developers who decided to do it, will face to a big challenge to adapt one app to run in a 27" 5K iMac with keyboard/mouse/trackpad and also to a 5inch iPhone with only touch controls.
  • And if they do it, what would be the price of the app?
  • There is a lot of fragmentation on mac in terms of hardware and this will cause that mac apps would be harder to maintain and they will be so buggy.
Click to expand...

Nope.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Xenc
I already have universal apps, most of my iOS apps run native on macOS, I think Apple may be just merging the UI with NS so no more #ifdef TARGET_OS_IOS
 
robertosh said:
Honestly, I think that it will be a big mistake:
  • The use case of a mac is pretty different than the use case of iOS device, I barely see apps that I need in both systems.
  • The developers who decided to do it, will face to a big challenge to adapt one app to run in a 27" 5K iMac with keyboard/mouse/trackpad and also to a 5inch iPhone with only touch controls.
  • And if they do it, what would be the price of the app?
  • There is a lot of fragmentation on mac in terms of hardware and this will cause that mac apps would be harder to maintain and they will be so buggy.
Click to expand...

No, you are getting it wrong. Universal apps are not one app that runs on a lot of platforms, are 3 or 4 apps in one.

For example: a universal macOS/iOS/tvOS will have 3 internal interfaces, one for touch, one for remote control and one for mouse packed inside one application. The user downloads one app and have 3.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Xenc
Sounds like Apple will face out NS everything becoming UI to make cross platform dev easer, the API is refined and multiple packages are supported, iOS, tvOS and macOS and the OS selects the package for that system. That’s what it sounds like is going to happen as NS becomes OS perhaps OSString OSNumber, or even dropped all together String Number Object who knows be fun finding out on the day

What ever happens the APIs need bringing closer together and sorted out.
 
robertosh said:
Honestly, I think that it will be a big mistake:
  • The developers who decided to do it, will face to a big challenge to adapt one app to run in a 27" 5K iMac with keyboard/mouse/trackpad and also to a 5inch iPhone with only touch controls.
Click to expand...

Any web developer has the very same challenge. With the power of iOS SKD it's gonna be much easier challenge.
 
PavelGubarev said:
Any web developer has the very same challenge. With the power of iOS SKD it's gonna be much easier challenge.
Click to expand...

Nope. iOS will not help them develop for macOS.

I think I am not being able to explain it correctly.

Imagine this: you have the same app for iOS, a version of it for macOS and another version for Apple TV.
They are 3 different apps but they have in common all the code. Just the interfaces and the way users deal with it are different.

Now put all 3 apps on the same bundle, each one with its own interface.

Now you have a multiplatform app. Developers will not have to convert anything, just pack everything together.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Xenc
Patolino said:
Nope. iOS will not help them develop for macOS.

I think I am not being able to explain it correctly.

Imagine this: you have the same app for iOS, a version of it for macOS and another version for Apple TV.
They are 3 different apps but they have in common all the code. Just the interfaces and the way users deal with it are different.

Now put all 3 apps on the same bundle, each one with its own interface.

Now you have a multiplatform app. Developers will not have to convert anything, just pack everything together.
Click to expand...

Yes, I meant exactly that. In fact I have developed an app for iOS + AppleTV. Making the support for AppleTV was a piece of cake.
 
Ah, I see. This is my dream too, that macOS gets the power of iOS in terms of API and Interface Builder adjustments.

It is inadmissible that you cannot even adjust the background color of views on macOS without having to subclass.

macOS is stalled in the year 2000 in terms of evolution. It is a pain in the ass to develop anything for it.

On the other hand, tvOS is a joy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Xenc
robertosh said:
Honestly, I think that it will be a big mistake:
  • The use case of a mac is pretty different than the use case of iOS device, I barely see apps that I need in both systems.
  • The developers who decided to do it, will face to a big challenge to adapt one app to run in a 27" 5K iMac with keyboard/mouse/trackpad and also to a 5inch iPhone with only touch controls.
  • And if they do it, what would be the price of the app?
  • There is a lot of fragmentation on mac in terms of hardware and this will cause that mac apps would be harder to maintain and they will be so buggy.
Click to expand...

If its only for Retina displays that they will do universal apps for, it may be ok....

It would be no different than two separate apps now.... except it would be simple for everyone, and all dev's have to rely much ore on more its one app is "lots of comments" so they can find the code they need.

Commenting is less needed in separately physical apps. but i would say much more important when u have one that works across all.
 
Fixey said:
I already have universal apps, most of my iOS apps run native on macOS, I think Apple may be just merging the UI with NS so no more #ifdef TARGET_OS_IOS
Click to expand...
Wouldn't that be great? checking for osx, iOS and tvOS all the time is a pain
[doublepost=1521564103][/doublepost]
Seoras said:
Touch screen on MacOS? Has hell frozen over again?
Click to expand...
Anytime A* tells you something doesnt make sense -- it means they are working on it but its years out.

;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back