M1 Macs, such as the MacBook Pro with M1 (and the latest MacBook Air and Mac mini), can run iPhone apps. The only problem (for some developers) is that not all developers want to run their apps on a Mac. And apparently Apple agrees with them.

This news comes from 9to5Mac, which explains that Apple now displays an error message when you try to side-load an app onto a Mac. This may ruffle the feathers of those who want full control over their Macs, but Apple's move makes sense.

Some background: Apple Silicon processors, such as the Apple M1 chip, allow modern Macs to run iPhone and iPad applications. However, these apps can only be downloaded through the Mac App Store, and only if the developer decides that the app should be used on a Mac.

Then came third-party utilities like iMazing that made the impossible possible. These programs allow users to access purchased iPhone and iPad apps so that they can sideload them.

Apple has put a stop to this with its latest security measure, the macOS Big Sur 11.2 update. Attempts to side-load an app now result in an error message that reads: "The developer does not intend to run on this platform." It doesn't matter exactly why the developer doesn't want the iPhone or iPad app to run on a Mac. Maybe the performance isn't as good as the developer wants it to be. Maybe it's terrible without the touch interface.

In any case, the developer knows best, and if the app is already available on the iPhone or iPad, it is not unusable.

Of course, iMazing and other utilities will find ways to circumvent Apple's efforts. And Apple will find a way to stop them.