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Code in macOS Catalina Suggests Apple is Working on Catalyst Versions of Messages and Shortcuts for Mac
Apple appears to be working on full Project Catalyst versions of Messages and Shortcuts for Mac, according to hints of the new apps found by developer Steve Troughton-Smith.
Hidden Shortcuts for Mac code running on macOS Catalina, via Steve Troughton-Smith
Last, Troughton-Smith found that the Project Catalyst software on macOS Catalina includes Shortcuts frameworks suggesting a future Shortcuts for Mac app, and now it appears Apple is also working on a Catalyst version of the Messages app.
Much of the UIKit Messages app is functional on macOS, using the native Catalyst UI from the macOS Catalina system frameworks. iMessage Effects, for example, are functional.
Apple made no mention of an overhauled Messages app or bringing Shortcuts to Mac when introducing macOS Catalina, so these features could be reserved for a future Catalina release that's perhaps coming later in the year.
Last, Troughton-Smith found that the Project Catalyst software on macOS Catalina includes Shortcuts frameworks suggesting a future Shortcuts for Mac app, and now it appears Apple is also working on a Catalyst version of the Messages app.
There is a whole lot of evidence in Catalina that they're working on a full, Catalyst version of Messages, much like Shortcuts for Mac. So, just like Shortcuts, I decided to cut to the chase and do it myself by calling the system frameworks. Voilà pic.twitter.com/IsXKrGpemd
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) June 19, 2019
Much of the UIKit Messages app is functional on macOS, using the native Catalyst UI from the macOS Catalina system frameworks. iMessage Effects, for example, are functional.
And, just for reference: this isn't a 'marzipanified' version of the Messages app from the iOS Simulator. This is the 'native' Catalyst UI coming from the macOS 10.15 system frameworks. Just like Shortcuts, it's all there, and mostly works if you know how to talk to it pic.twitter.com/VO59kPbbVY
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) June 19, 2019
iMessage Effects! pic.twitter.com/e6VM0xa6g4
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) June 19, 2019
Apple made no mention of an overhauled Messages app or bringing Shortcuts to Mac when introducing macOS Catalina, so these features could be reserved for a future Catalina release that's perhaps coming later in the year.
Related Roundup: macOS Catalina
Tag: Project Catalyst
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4 weeks ago
Project Marzipan is just a glorified Electron framework. I refuse to run such garbage apps as Electron ones as I would rather run flash apps. Native apps only, Apple, or you'll set a terrible precedent here.
Rather run flash apps? What year are we in? Wha?!If Catalyst works well and there are no major problems, what's the big deal? Suddenly the Mac is filled with apps and developers, paving the way (hopefully) toward ARM Macs.
4 weeks ago
This is all very good. For a while I've felt that iOS gets all the attention and macOS and its apps sometimes feel neglected or feel like afterthoughts. This is going to change that.
4 weeks ago
Project Marzipan is just a glorified Electron framework. I refuse to run such garbage apps as Electron ones as I would rather run flash apps. Native apps only, Apple, or you'll set a terrible precedent here.
Electron is basically a chrome-less Chromium browser rendering a web app inside. Project Catalyst is rendering natively on macOS but using the UIKit API rather than AppKit API. Both UI kits are using Cocoa underneath the surface AFAIK. Sure, the current design of Catalyst/Marzipan apps is garbage, but it is native and has absolutely nothing to do with Electron. Finally, how is Flash relevant at all in this conversation?
4 weeks ago
The real goodness is in one of his recent blog posts...
https://www.highcaffeinecontent.com/blog/20190518-Translating-an-ARM-iOS-App-to-Intel-macOS-Using-Bitcode
Stuff like
> you can statically translate binaries between Intel and ARM if they include Bitcode. It really works!
and
> Apple could use Bitcode to translate every Bitcode-enabled app on the Mac App Store, without consulting developers, so it would be ready to go on day one. This kind of power means Apple needn’t preannounce an ARM switch a year ahead of time, and also means a technology like Rosetta may be completely unnecessary this time round.
https://www.highcaffeinecontent.com/blog/20190518-Translating-an-ARM-iOS-App-to-Intel-macOS-Using-Bitcode
Stuff like
> you can statically translate binaries between Intel and ARM if they include Bitcode. It really works!
and
> Apple could use Bitcode to translate every Bitcode-enabled app on the Mac App Store, without consulting developers, so it would be ready to go on day one. This kind of power means Apple needn’t preannounce an ARM switch a year ahead of time, and also means a technology like Rosetta may be completely unnecessary this time round.
4 weeks ago
Project Marzipan is just a glorified Electron framework. I refuse to run such garbage apps as Electron ones as I would rather run flash apps. Native apps only, Apple, or you'll set a terrible precedent here.
4 weeks ago
My query is whether the Most Recent Message preview in the contact list will finally show whether the message text is yours or theirs. It's a bug that has persisted for a decade.
Most systems do something like a `You:` proceeding messages that originated from you. It would help a lot.
Most systems do something like a `You:` proceeding messages that originated from you. It would help a lot.
4 weeks ago
Project Marzipan is just a glorified Electron framework. I refuse to run such garbage apps as Electron ones as I would rather run flash apps. Native apps only, Apple, or you'll set a terrible precedent here.
In what way is this non-native? The binaries are compiled for x86, and the frameworks are built into the OS, right? Electron is Javascript scum.
4 weeks ago
Apple did mention that they have ported most of iOS frameworks to MacOS. Whether they are actually writing a Catalist Messages replacement is a different question. I would welcome it, the iOS version has more features.
[doublepost=1561011363][/doublepost]
I think you got the idea right, but your interpretation is backwards. Sure, there will be more universal apps, which is kind of the point, but I do not think this will weaken the Mac — only strengten is. Ultimately, its develop once, tweak for each individual platform to make sure you utilise its particular features best, publish everywhere.
Catalyst is just a small thing. A big one is SwiftUI — the new UI framework, which will in the future replace the AppKit, the UIKit and the rest. Starting from 10.15 you can develop UI for all Apple platforms using the same framework. It does not mean however that the platforms are being fused together (if anything, they are drifting apart, as evidenced by iPadOS fork). There will always be differences, just writing common code that can also make best use of these differences is becoming much easier.
[doublepost=1561011363][/doublepost]
Catalyst is a saboteur. When Apple has replaced its own Mac apps with iPadOS ones, there will be little need to keep the original macOS apps at all, which is going to see a lot of dedicated macOS apps from other developers also disappear.
We are heading to universal apps and laptops that no longer need or use macOS.
Develop once, publish everywhere, don’t bother with macOS development as something better exists.
I think you got the idea right, but your interpretation is backwards. Sure, there will be more universal apps, which is kind of the point, but I do not think this will weaken the Mac — only strengten is. Ultimately, its develop once, tweak for each individual platform to make sure you utilise its particular features best, publish everywhere.
Catalyst is just a small thing. A big one is SwiftUI — the new UI framework, which will in the future replace the AppKit, the UIKit and the rest. Starting from 10.15 you can develop UI for all Apple platforms using the same framework. It does not mean however that the platforms are being fused together (if anything, they are drifting apart, as evidenced by iPadOS fork). There will always be differences, just writing common code that can also make best use of these differences is becoming much easier.
4 weeks ago
Project Marzipan is just a glorified Electron framework. I refuse to run such garbage apps as Electron ones as I would rather run flash apps. Native apps only, Apple, or you'll set a terrible precedent here.
Everything about this statement is incorrect.[ Read All Comments ]
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