UIKit: A common framework for presentation

watchOS and tvOS have demonstrated that UIKit can be both consistent and versatile, and many Mac developers have been clamoring for a friendlier app framework for years. On iOS we’re used to using native apps for just about everything, yet on OS X, much of the same services are only available as web apps. While they don’t suffer from the same performance degradation as the mobile web (or at least the old mobile web), does it really make sense that so many of us keep open 10 tabs for the services we use most? The browser is really a terrible window manager. But of course, developers haven’t wanted to build their apps for yet another platform, so web apps have been simply good enough.

Right now, I really believe that OS X is a dead platform. It’s been coasting on iOS’ wake for years, picking up features often long after they’ve been implemented on iOS. Apple needs to create a unified app platform between the two OSes. This doesn’t mean a desktop would just run iOS apps, much like tvOS doesn’t ‘just run’ iOS apps. The same ideas should apply: a shared codebase, with minor platform-specific elements, and an optimized UI for the OS’ primary interaction model. — @stroughtonsmith

With the introduction of UIKit apps on macOS, apps like Facebook, Netflix, and Inbox would easily port with few modifications and take advantage of native performance, window management, notifications, offline support, and every new feature brought to the OS.

Not only would many third party apps come to the Mac, but Apple apps that have been only available on iOS could make the jump, like News and Health. For years, Apple has lived by the “Back to the Mac” strategy, but UIKit for macOS would allow the platforms to grow together. However, it would not at all decrease the power available to pro apps, one bit. Let’s take a look: