With Apple Neo Official Will iPhone Get a Desktop Mode?

[wdlvwdlv]

Hello everyone,

I’m new here and wanted to bring up a question that’s been on my mind for a long time. Years ago, I had a Samsung Android phone that supported DeX mode, and I was genuinely surprised by how capable it was. Running a desktop‑style interface from a phone felt incredibly close to using a lightweight laptop.

That experience made me wonder: could something similar ever happen on the iPhone? Specifically, could a powerful device like an iPhone Pro or future models run a version of macOS similar to what Apple is using on the Apple Neo?

This leads to a bigger question: is macOS built as a universal OS that could theoretically run on any Apple silicon, or is it tightly optimized for specific chips like the A18 Pro? If the architecture is close enough, it seems like this kind of crossover could be technically feasible.

I’m curious whether anyone else has thought about this or is hoping for a feature like this in the future. It might even strengthen the case for bringing macOS or a macOS‑like mode to the iPad as well. Especially now that Apple Neo is official.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and feedback.

 

[eyoungren]

Your question isn't new. It's been discussed several times. Just like with a foldable phone there are some who want this and some who do not.

Can iPhone do this. Yes. Will Apple allow it, or even pursue the option? That's the real question. Apple already touts the iPad as a laptop replacement, so who knows what they are thinking. But if you haven't noticed the similarities between MacOS, iOS and iPadOS lately, you have not been paying attention.

I've thought about this, but not in the manner you might wish. It's not something I want, although I'm not against it for others. My particular problem is how I do things. Laptops are for one thing, desktops for another, phones for another and tablets for yet another thing. And while there may be some crossover, that's how I separate things.

As I have stated in many of these threads, until the iPhone can let me attach multiple displays and use a keyboard and mouse as I am accustomed to, I'm just not interested.

Click on the link in my signature where it says '10 Displays' and you'll see why I don't think this will ever work for me. My Mac Pro can do it, but I doubt the iPhone could, at least not right now. And finally, I'm just not the type of person who this would get a great thing. I'm not interested in carrying my Mac around and hooking it up to stuff at the places I go to.

Again, just me. If Apple ever does thing and people want it - great for them.

 

[JPack]

Apple isn't doing this any time soon because they believe in building custom hardware + software. So an iPhone running macOS is out of the question because it's a spork and the experience would be poor. What happens when iPhone is suddenly disconnected from the monitor? Do apps shrink? Do apps need to build two interfaces?

Instead of allowing a spork to exist, Apple is adding features to the iPad, iPhone, and Mac to give them more capability. MacBook Pro getting touch later this year is an example.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

No, it won't.

The three people on planet earth that use their Android that way isn't enough to compel Apple to do anything like that.

 

[XboxEvolved]

Yeah the whole point of it is to augment your phone or your computer using the devices together and they do that together quite well in a way you wouldn't experience with the thing you are talking about.

 

[erihp]

I thought it would have been rad if the Neo was just a lap-dock for iPhones.

Screen, keyboard and trackpad and a slot for the phone.

Insert phone, MacOS.
Remove phone, selfies or whatever.

oh well.

 

[JPack]

I thought it would have been rad if the Neo was just a lap-dock for iPhones.

Screen, keyboard and trackpad and a slot for the phone.

Insert phone, MacOS.
Remove phone, selfies or whatever.

oh well.

Modern computing habits is going to make that idea stay on the patent desk. I doubt many people want their $800 iPhone held hostage as a trackpad. Most people quickly switch tasks between Mac and iPhone when using both.

 

[erihp]

Modern computing habits is going to make that idea stay on the patent desk. I doubt many people want their $800 iPhone held hostage as a trackpad. Most people quickly switch tasks between Mac and iPhone when using both.

isnt that what the iphone mirroring feature does for you?

 

[JPack]

isnt that what the iphone mirroring feature does for you?

Sure, but it's not a widely used feature. People interact a lot faster using their actual iPhone rather than through a window.

There's just far too much user friction from using an iPhone as a Mac. Apple obviously won't allow a Mac to run iOS. So each time the iPhone is docked, it would need to boot from a macOS partition.

 

[erihp]

Sure, but it's not a widely used feature. People interact a lot faster using their actual iPhone rather than through a window.

There's just far too much user friction from using an iPhone as a Mac. Apple obviously won't allow a Mac to run iOS. So each time the iPhone is docked, it would need to boot from a macOS partition.

oh okay