By 2021, Apple wants developers to be able to make on build of a game or app that will work across its entire range of tech.
That's according to a report from Bloomberg, which says the California-based tech giant is working on an initiative called Marzipan which will allow creators to build software once and have it compatible with its Mac computers as well as its iPhone and iPad mobile devices. Applications will have to be submitted twice, once to the mobile App Store and again to the Mac storefront, but the actual build itself will be the same.
This SDK could be in the hand of software makers in June, when Apple holds its annual developer conference.
We've already seen Apple trying to position its technology as the solution to all user needs - look no further than the iPad Pro 'What computer?' ad, which saw a kid not know what a computer was because, apparently, Apple's top-tier tablet does everything a laptop or desktop is required to.
The Marzipan strategy isn't a million miles away from Microsoft's Universal Windows Platform scheme which was announced at GDC 2016. This sees developers able to release products on a variety of platforms with just one build.
This was met with a great deal of criticism, most notably from Epic's Tim Sweeney, who took issue with the fact that UWP apps could only be launched on the Microsoft Store.
UWP has meant that games from Xbox One have been able to come to PC, though that process hasn't been easy.
Quantum Break from Finnish development guru Remedy tripped out of the gate when it launched on the Microsoft Store as a UWP app, with the studio vowing it would regain the respect of its audience with upcoming release Control.
Looking at the UWP strategy for games, it's clear that Microsoft is trying to make launching across multiple platforms as easy as possible ahead of the full rollout of its - gag - 'Netflix-for-games' scheme. With rumours that Apple is, too, looking into such a subscription service, it's possible that this is a step towards making content available across as many platforms as possible.
