Maybe, but we might end up with the worst of both worlds.
Both of Apples computer platformsiOS and macOSnow run on the same Apple Silicon chips.
But, in reality, it would be a terrible experience.
Jeremy Zero / Unsplash
Finger vs Mouse
Apple designed the Mac around the mouse.
The iPad, though, was designed for touch.
Couldnt it do the same, but in the other direction?
Om Kamath / Unsplash
But adding touch support to the Mac is a whole different problem.
Just navigating a menu would be super frustrating.
The menu items are too close together.
And how about closing or minimizing a window using those tiny mouse-sized “traffic light” buttons?
“It wouldnt work with touch,“iOS developer and graphic designerGraham Bowertold Lifewire via Twitter.
“The click areas are too small to be tap areas.”
Even SidecarApples own method for running Mac apps on an iPad screenonly lets you use an Apple Pencil.
UI
The size of the touch-targets isnt the only argument against macOS on iPad.
A mouse pointer can do one thing that a finger cannot: It can hover.
Mouseover accommodations on the Mac are legion, and essential to its operation.
), and more.
These all require a mouse or trackpad, and a keyboard.
But that creates other problems.
For example, if you launch a Mac app without a keyboard and mouse attached, what happens?
Does it refuse to launch?
Does it launch, but sit there doing nothing?
iPhone apps running on the Mac arent great in terms of feel, but at least theyre usable.
“Apple wouldnt do this unless theyd reworked macOS for touch,” says Bower.
“And I dont see them doing a touch version of macOS because thats what iPadOS is for.
Even if they did make a touch version of macOS, third-party software wouldnt support it.”
Do they want the iPad to boot up as if it were a Mac?
Or do they just want the conveniences of the Mac?
At its Worldwide Developer Conference in June, Apple usually details the next version of iOS.
Right now, we have no clue what these changes might be.
