Here's another sign Apple wants to make its Mac software more like the iPhone
- Apple will announce a Mac software update that brings Siri Shortcuts and Screen Time to its desktop software, says a new report.
- The report comes after Apple has brought other iPhone features like Siri to the Mac in recent years.
- Apple is also reportedly working on a way to help developers make apps that work across both iOS and macOS operating systems.
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Apple is reportedly planning to bring iPhone features like Siri Shortcuts and Screen Time to the Mac operating system, another move that could further bridge its mobile and desktop software.
The additions will be part of a new update called macOS 10.15 that's expected to be announced during the company's World Wide Developers conference on June 3, according to 9to5Mac. Siri Shortcuts is a feature that makes it possible for Apple's virtual assistant to make recommendations based on your activity, and it was introduced in iOS 12 last fall. Apple also offers a Shortcuts app users can download to further streamline tasks through Siri, and the report indicates this app will soon be available for the Mac, too.
Screen Time, another feature that launched as part of iOS 12, allows iPhone users to view how much time they're spending on their phone and which apps they're using most frequently, as well as the ability to set time limits. This feature will work just as it does on the iPhone, says 9to5Mac, and there will be a new section in the System Preferences option to manage it.
The special effects available in iMessage that make it possible to send animations of celebratory decor like confetti, fireworks, and balloons are also coming to the Mac, the report says.
It's one of several moves Apple has made over the years to more closely combine the experiences of its iOS and Mac operating systems. With its Mojave release last year, for example, Apple brought iPhone apps such as News, Stocks, and Voice Memos to the Mac. Before that, Apple launched Siri on the Mac in 2016.
Apple is reportedly planning to launch an initiative it's calling "Marzipan" that would make it possible for developers to create apps that work across iOS and Mac, as Bloomberg has previously reported. Apple has also previously discussed plans to bring iOS apps to its desktop software.
Despite this, the company has always maintained that its mobile and desktop ecosystems will remain separate. This approach differentiates Apple from rivals like Microsoft and Google, which enable their Windows and Android operating systems to run across a range of device types.
Apple CEO Tim Cook once called PC makers "confused" during an event in 2013. "The competition is different ... they are confused," he said. "They chased after netbooks. Now they are trying to make PCs into tablets and tablets into PCs. Who knows what they will do next?"