Putting to one side the reasons why it's taken so long to happen, this is a logical step for Apple as users drift seamlessly between devices.
The ramifications are big, with brands possibly having to rethink again how they expect and want consumers to interact with their services.
Apple has plans to allow a single set of apps that work equally well across its family of devices: iPhones, iPads and Macs.
Starting as early as next year, software developers will be able to design a single application that works with a touchscreen or mouse and trackpad depending on whether it’s running on the iPhone and iPad operating system or on Mac hardware, according to people familiar with the matter.
Codenamed "Marzipan", the secret project is planned as a multi-year effort that will start rolling out as early as next year and may be announced at the company’s next annual developers conference.