[BeefySwain]

What does "x-platform" mean in this context?

[pixelmonkey]

Cross-platform. There are 3 major desktop operating systems (Windows, Linux, and Mac) and 2 major mobile operating systems (iPhone and Android). Every single OS has a huge marketshare worldwide (including Linux, if you count servers).

A truly x-platform app is one that works well on all 5 of these platforms, e.g. Signal. A moderately x-platform app is one that works well on the two mobile operating systems and on web as an alternative to desktop, e.g. WhatsApp. A single-platform app, like Apple FindMy, only works properly on e.g. Mac + iPhone. Apple tends to be the only major industry player that produces these sorts of apps, e.g. iMessage, FaceTime, Final Cut Pro, Keynote. Although with Keynote you can often get by with the iCloud web version, which has a useful 80%-or-so of the desktop app's features. Even apps like Meet, Zoom, and Teams -- run by rival companies -- are more x-platform than major Apple apps.

[stavros]

I think the GP knows what cross-platform means, but is confused by using "X" as shorthand for "cross". In my opinion, it's not widespread enough for the four-letter saving to be worth the confusion.

[bolognafairy]

Linux is not a “major desktop operating system”. Let’s be intellectually honest here, particularly because you’re using the number “3” to bolster your argument that Apple is being negligent or unfair or whatever. Be annoyed at Apple for not ‘supporting Android’ or whatever all you want, but let’s not pretend that Apple isn’t paying a very justifiable amount of attention to desktop Linux. What next, iCloud.com doesn’t load properly in Lynx?

[sshh12]

Cross platform (something that works well outside of Apple apps/devices)

[t00]

Cross platform -> † platform -> t platform might be a better choice