Apple is reportedly working on an SDK that simplifies the process of porting iOS apps to MacOS, and will eventually merge the two processes into one.
Sources speaking to Bloomberg note that the project should see an official announcement, and potentially a partial release, this June during Apple’s developer conference.
The initiative itself is a three-step release however, meaning that this year’s SDK will focus only on allowing iPad developers to port apps to MacOS. Bloomberg’s sources say that the situation is “fluid”, but current plans see the kit being updated to support iPhone to Mac conversions in 2020.
Then, in 2021, Apple plans to merge iPhone, iPad, and Mac apps into a single binary all together, allowing developers to create apps that work across all platforms at once.
The 2019 and 2020 versions of the SDK will still require developers to individually submit platform-specific versions of their apps to the appropriate app store, but the 2021 SDK will eliminate this requirement as it aims to essentially merge the iOS and Mac app stores into one, more universal Apple storefront.