Skip to main content

Tim Cook doesn’t believe customers want MacOS and iOS combined

Apple CEO Tim Cook believes that MacOS and iOS should remain as separate operating systems, and never merged as a single platform. He expressed this view in an interview after a recent event in Chicago, saying the company has no desire to “water down” either platform for a unified experience. Why? Because each platform is exceptional in their target devices. 

“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,” he said. 

Of course, with just one operating system to rule all Apple devices, the company would be more efficient, he acknowledged. But Apple isn’t targeting efficiency, but rather what customers want out of their devices, whether it’s the new iPhone X or the MacBook Air. According to Cook, Apple wants to empower customers with the hardware they want for expressing their creativity, expressing their feelings, or changing the world. 

“This merger thing that some folks are fixated on, I don’t think that’s what users want,” he added. 

Cook may be indirectly referring to rumors hinting to a unified platform across all Apple devices codenamed as Marzipan. But Apple isn’t shooting for a one-OS-fits-all-devices solution. Instead, the move is something akin to Microsoft’s Universal Windows Platform for Windows 10. A single app should work across all Apple devices no matter the underlying hardware and Apple-based operating system. 

Currently, developers must generate separate apps for MacOS and iOS, and right now, they appear more inclined to develop for iOS than MacOS. Just look at the Mac App Store’s seemingly barren state, which is devoid of popular apps like Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, and Hulu. Yet now developers are reportedly able to create a single app that works on both platforms while supporting touchscreens, trackpads, keyboard, and mice in the process. 

Will this “universal app platform” be what developers need to provide Mac owners a better app experience? Time will tell. Twitter pulled the plug on its Mac-based app in February, stating that Mac owners can get the “full” Twitter experience using their web browser. Meanwhile, Twitter’s app still remains on the App Store for iOS, Google Play for Android, and the Microsoft Store for Windows 10. 

Cook’s view on a MacOS/iOS merger is similar to Google’s take on Chrome OS and Android. The move seems imminent given Chrome OS now supports Google Play and Android apps. But according to Senior Vice President of Android, Chrome OS, and Play Hiroshi Lockheimer, merging just doesn’t make sense. 

“I think we’re very fortunate as a company to have two very successful platforms each in their own way and in their own segments,” Lockheimer said in late 2016. “For us, there’s no point in merging them. They’re both successful. We just want to make sure both sides benefit from each other, so that’s why we brought Google Play from Android over to Chrome OS.”  

Editors' Recommendations

Kevin Parrish
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…
iOS 17.2 just arrived — here’s what’s new in the big iPhone update
Apple Journal app on iPhone 15 Pro.

After two beta versions, Apple has just released iOS 17.2 to the general public. (And along with it, tvOS 17.2 for Apple TV.)  This update is a rather big one, as it finally brings Apple’s native Journal app, which was missing from the initial iOS 17 release earlier this year. On top of that, there are more big changes for Apple Music and elsewhere.

The biggest feature of the iOS 17.2 update is the new Journal app. This native app lets users record posts about their day, with the ability to add photos and video, audio clips, and even location data, all of which the user can reflect on at some point in the future. It’s another great step for helping with mental well-being, similar to the moods featured in Apple Health.

Read more
17 iPhone apps I couldn’t live without in 2023
An iPhone 15 Pro home screen with festive decorations.

Though I check out and review a variety of smartphones, including Android phones, my primary device is my iPhone 15 Pro. Not only is it my main device because I like the hardware, but I’m quite vested in the Apple ecosystem — especially when it comes to apps from the App Store.

As you can guess, my entire life is pretty much accessible on my iPhone. Not just photos and messages, but also all of the apps I use daily. And while there's no shortage of great iPhone apps, but these are the ones I couldn't live without in 2023.
1Password

Read more
These are the 10 settings I always change on a new Mac
A MacBook Air on a desk with an open book in front of it.

Every time I buy a new Mac, there are a bunch of settings I change to improve the macOS experience. Some are quick tweaks that solve minor annoyances, while others are vital changes that make my Mac safer, faster, or just plain better.

I recently wrote about a few key settings to change in macOS Sonoma, but the ones contained in the article you’re perusing now aren’t just for Apple’s latest operating system. Whether you’re running an earlier version of macOS or are reading this long after Sonoma has become old news, there are plenty of macOS settings you can adjust to get more from your Mac.
Turn on FileVault

Read more