Macworld - 01.2021

Mac apps, with a more

normal menu bar and other

Mac adaptations. (Apps

running with Catalyst will

also run on the installed

base of Intel Macs,

which will be a majority

of Macs in operation for a

few years yet.)

Finally, I’d encourage app

developers to listen to their

customers and understand A Mac version of iOS’s Shortcuts would help
that an iOS app might be developers bring their iOS apps to the Mac.

a better option than the

alternative. I’m so sick of being kicked Keyboard attached, and on Macs. The

to lousy web-based experiences on less work developers have to do to

the Mac when there are excellent make their apps great across a wide

apps for those services on iOS. Even range of Apple devices, the more

a slightly strange iOS experience, likely they are to do the work.

running in a standalone app, beats Apple needs to bring across

out keeping it in a Safari tab that I’ll more of its own technologies, too.

invariably close by accident. The Shortcuts app is a key way to

WHAT APPLE CAN DO automate functions on iOS, but
it doesn’t exist on the Mac, and

This isn’t all on developers. If Apple many iOS apps will be a little less

wants to benefit from having iOS apps functional until it does.

run on all future Mac hardware, it’s But Apple’s biggest impact can

going to need to keep pushing. come with the decisions it makes

Part of that push will need to come about hardware. The reason some

on the software side. Apple needs iOS apps feel weird on the Mac is

to continue to develop Catalyst and that they were designed for touch,

make it as easy as possible for iOS not for a cursor and keyboard.

developers to make apps that work Introducing Macs with touchscreens

great both on iPads with the Magic won’t change the Mac’s status as a

January 2021 • Macworld 101

OPINION

mouse-first operating system, but demand developers hear, the more

it will offer alternate modes of input likely they are to prioritize bringing

– and open up better compatibility their iOS app to the Mac.

with some iOS apps. Another thing to keep in mind:

And imagine if Apple made a Every iOS developer is a Mac user,

two-in-one convertible laptop, with a because the only way to develop apps

screen that could be wrapped around for iOS is to use Xcode. This means

the back to make it temporarily more that most iOS developers aren’t going

like an iPad. A lot of users would love to look down on Mac users who want

a laptop that could transform into their favourite iOS apps to run on the

a tablet from time to time – but the Mac – because they probably do, too.

apps need to be there. Finally, all of us need to be patient.

WHAT USERS CAN DO It’s the very earliest days for Apple
silicon on the Mac. I’ve talked to some

Developers have it rough. They’ve developers who have been working

spent the summer wrestling with on bringing their iOS apps to the

some major changes in macOS Big Mac since the initial Mac Catalyst

Sur, plus the transition to Apple announcement in the summer of 2019

silicon. They deserve your respect – and they’re still not there. The first

and your politeness.

That said, if there’s

an iOS app that

you love that’s not

available on the Mac,

it’s worth politely

contacting that

developer. Explain to

them – politely – why

you want to run that

app on the Mac, and

why it’s a superior

option to whatever

their Mac solution It’s easy to forget that iOS and iPad OS developers are
is today. The more Mac users, too

102 Macworld • January 2021

version of Catalyst was limited, and so
many of them waited for the version in
Big Sur. It takes time to do it right. I’m
confident that more apps are on the
way. But we all need a little patience.

Still, developers: if your app runs
okay on the Mac and there’s no huge
business reason to bar Mac users
from using it, why not check that
box? Chances are good that your
customers will thank you for it.

January 2021 • Macworld 103