Handy for Minecraft players on Mac: windows players may be on Java or on bedrock versions, but mobile and console players are all only on bedrock. Being able to run the Android version on Mac means I can play with local console players or join a bedrock realm.
(There are compatibility workarounds if you run your own server but I don’t want the headache of doing so).
Perhaps one day Mojang will enable Macos users to run the iPad (bedrock) version of Minecraft as well..
Funnily, specifically for Minecraft Bedrock, there's such a project (implementing a limited/specialized compatibility layer) targeting Linux/macOS for few years now.
I have tried that project a couple years ago! My son moved on to mostly enjoying modded Java Edition but it was useful in a pinch, though it shared a few annoying characteristics that reminded me of my previous solution, playing on an Xbox One X with mouse and keyboard attached. Namely, that it wasn't as smooth as it is on a PC to bring up the chat and quickly type commands, requiring extra mouse clicks IIRC.
> Perhaps one day Mojang will enable Macos users to run the iPad (bedrock)
I predict they will, once macOS drops intel support in macOS 28.
I don't think anything to do with Intel matters, as the existing Mac solution they provide is just running Java Edition which already runs natively on ARM anyway.
Honestly I'm confused why they haven't brought Bedrock to Mac yet, as MS makes Mac versions of tons of stuff, from Edge to Copilot to Office; and Minecraft Bedrock Edition not only sells for money but has recurring in-app-purchase revenue, and Macs seem to be selling well.
Why does dropping Intel support relate to this?
Most iPad apps can already be ran on OSX.
It's so annoying how Macs cannot run iPad/iPhone apps despite having almost the same hardware.
Isn’t that what catalyst does?
The dev has to do it, and most don't. I can't run arbitrary iPad apps on my Mac.
There was a solution on macOS for quite some time (https://github.com/minecraft-linux/macos-builder/) but Apple is killing off the OpenGL frameworks to make it work.