In his first official comment since assuming the position of CEO of Apple, John Ternus settled the ongoing debate regarding the possibility of merging the iPadOS and macOS operating systems into a single platform. During the company's recent earnings call, Ternus confirmed that Apple has no plans to make fundamental changes to the structure of its operating systems, emphasizing the company's commitment to its current strategy.
Apple's Strategy: Integration, Not Merger
Ternus explained that Apple takes pride in both systems and focuses its efforts on enhancing integration between them rather than merging them. He pointed out that the company benefits from its ability to transfer features and capabilities across the ecosystem to create a connected user experience, such as Handoff features between iPhone, Mac, and iPad devices. He added: "When we design a product, we look at how to deliver the best possible version of each device individually."
Why Does Apple Reject Merging the Systems?
These statements come to confirm the continuation of Apple's approach, which was previously expressed by Craig Federighi, the company's head of software engineering, in 2025, when he described the idea of merging the systems as trying to build a "spork" that efficiently performs neither the function of a spoon nor that of a fork. Apple believes that each device has its own nature that requires a software experience specifically designed for it to ensure optimal performance.
What Practically Changes for Users?
Despite denying the merger of systems, the boundaries between Mac and iPad have become more blurred than ever. Apple has begun bringing features from iOS to macOS, such as touch features and the Dynamic Island, in addition to integrating artificial intelligence technologies (Siri AI). The new MacBook Pro devices have also seen the addition of OLED displays with touch functionality, indicating that Apple is pursuing an approach of "feature convergence" rather than "system unification."
For users, this means that Apple will continue to offer specialized devices for each category of tasks, with increased compatibility between devices to ensure seamless navigation, without sacrificing the distinctiveness and experience of each individual operating system.