Apple released a preview version of its new Photos for Mac app to testers today, and some developers noticed a new private framework used to build the iPhoto replacement called UXKit. While Apple often uses private frameworks that never become accessible to developers, the UXKit framework is notable as it appears to be a version of UIKit based on AppKit.
Mac developers have long wanted a version of UIKit, the framework upon which apps are constructed and managed including the user interface and app interactions, as it would offer app makers a powerful tool for creating software for the desktop just like it has on the smartphone and tablet.
While UXKit remains a private framework accessible only by developers within Apple, it’s possible UXKit could be a hint of how Apple will encourage iOS developers to create apps on the Mac as well making it much simpler to create apps for both iOS and Mac.
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Thrilled we are starting to see the fruits of their labor. Can’t wait to ditch iPhoto.
I just had a whole series of puzzle piece jigsaw into place in my brain. Imagine the possibilities here…
That this might be something Apple has planned to make apps development across the Watch, iOS, and OS X …universal. Just think, you write an application using Swift (possible support for other languages) and UXkit builds it for every device at the same time (within each platform’s limitations). It does about 90% of the work and you tweak each permutation from there.
THAT would explain a lot about the state of Apple’s software right now. That they halted development to shift everything to this new method because they want all of their applications written this way so they can more easily maintain it going forward (I would love a complete rewrite of iTunes, called Media, with fully-fledged cloud and Beats streaming integration). UXKit would also be an answer to the languishing Mac App Store, an answer to getting Watch support off the ground, and would serve as a response to Microsoft’s one app for all platforms initiative.
I feel like the release of Photos for Mac is going to be followed closely by a notable update to Photos for iOS as well.
What does everyone else think?
There is a difference in terms of UI for mobile devices that have touch controls (iOS) and standard computers that have trackpads or whatever. Different sizes for UI elements, different control elements. That’s why AppKit was not available in iOS in the first place, they created UIKit because it is all totally different for sensor screens.
Microsoft is “okay” with “one app for all platform” approach because they believe in touch screens everywhere, not just in mobile devices. Apple, on the other hand, follows more traditional approach with different controls on different devices. That’s why developing one universal app for all platform does not sound like a good idea in the Apple ecosystem.
In terms of SDK, navigation controllers are not available in the AppKit because they don’t make sense on a desktop computer – you have enough space to accommodate all UI elements in one place, there is no need for going back/forward.
Apple still might do that with the sole purpose to bring more developers on board, but I think would not be a wise move.
Hope this makes it into all native mac apps. It seems like apps like reminders, notes, and messages all look similar but aren’t standardized. Take the create button for instance. In messages it’s in the normal place the upper right of the message list, while in notes it’s in the upper left of a note. I think maybe these apps were each built in isolation and this could be the start of some standardization. Photos app will be the first.
The other sore point I see is lack of a back button in these apps. Like I don’t always want to see notes in a three panel layout. I’d rather it be two panel and have a back button to select which account I want to be in.
Man, really looking forward to the things to come with Apple.