The ability for Macs to run iPad apps is apparently still on track for release this year

Apple’s recently said it would push back some pretty major new features in iOS 12 to 2019, including an overhauled Home screen with a redesigned grid of app icons, but the rumored ability for Macs to run iPad apps is still on track for this year’s software updates.

That’s according to both Bloomberg and Axios.

“Core features like the combined app platform are still on schedule to be introduced this year,” Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said yesterday.

“Apple’s push for performance and security improvements over new features will also apply to this year’s Mac software, but one key feature remains on the roadmap for 2018: the ability for Macs to run iPad apps,” Ina Fried of Axios wrote today.

“A new project around security” sounds like Apple’s new privacy icon in iOS 11.3 and macOS High Sierra 10.13.4, but don’t quote me on that.

Bloomberg reported last December that Apple had an internal project going that would permit apps to run across iOS and Mac devices, a significant undertaking that would almost certainly add a high degree of complexity to this year’s iOS and macOS releases.

“Software developers will be able to design a single app that works with a touchscreen or mouse and trackpad depending on whether it’s running on the iPhone and iPad operating system or on Mac hardware,” the news organization claimed.

Apple could be actually enhancing its universal binary feature with expanded support for both iOS and macOS code rather than developing a combined iOS/macOS app platform.

Codenamed “Marzipan,” this secret project is reportedly planned as a multiyear effort that could be formally announced at the company’s annual developers conference in the summer.

The plan to delay some iOS and macOS features in favor of software stability was announced to key Apple engineers at a retreat earlier this month by software chief Craig Federighi.

“On the Mac side, this is taking the form of a new project around security as well as improvements in performance when waking and unlocking the system,” according to Axios.

Would a combined iOS/macOS app platform make sense, do you think?

Let us know in the comments!