Apple has insisted that is has no plans to merge its iOS and OS X platforms into one unified operating system.
Marketing chief Phil Schiller said that the company is unlikely to follow Microsoft's lead and merge the interfaces, as he sees a need for both to coexist.
"We don't waste time thinking, 'But it should be one [interface].' How do you make these [operating systems] merge together?' What a waste of energy that would be," he told Macworld.
Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering Craig Federighi echoed his colleague's sentiments, pointing out that separate interfaces are needed for touchscreen, and keyboard and mouse inputs.
"The reason OS X has a different interface than iOS isn't because one came after the other or because this one's old and this one's new," he said. "Instead, it's because using a mouse and keyboard just isn't the same as tapping with your finger."
Microsoft has been working towards unifying its operating systems, with Windows 8 sporting a touchcreen-friendly interface akin to that of Windows Phone and Windows RT devices.
Apple's Macintosh computer celebrated its 30th anniversary today (January 24).
