Apple unveiled the newest iteration of its desktop operating system, macOS 15, codenamed Sequoia. This update brings new features to enhance productivity, creativity, and overall user experience. Let’s explore the highlights:
Seamless iPhone Integration with iPhone Mirroring:
No more scrambling for your phone! Sequoia introduces iPhone Mirroring, allowing wireless access and interaction with your iPhone directly from your Mac. Imagine dragging and dropping photos, using apps, or responding to notifications on your Mac’s larger screen.
Enhanced Safari Experience:
Surfing the web just got smarter. Safari boasts new features like Highlights, which leverages machine learning to surface relevant information like directions, links, and summaries from web pages. A redesigned Reader minimizes distractions, offering a cleaner view of articles, while the Viewer brings videos to the forefront with Picture-in-Picture functionality.
Effortless Window Management with Tiling:
Multitasking masters rejoice! Sequoia introduces Window Tiling, a feature similar to Windows Snap. Drag a window to the edge of the screen, and the OS suggests a tiled position for optimal organization. Arrange windows side-by-side, corner-to-corner, or use keyboard shortcuts for a streamlined workflow.
Supercharged Video Conferencing:
Building on last year’s additions, Sequoia introduces new video conferencing tools. Enjoy a presenter preview showcasing exactly what you’ll share before presenting, and personalize your background with system wallpapers, gradients, or even your photos. These features work with FaceTime and third-party apps like Webex.
Say Goodbye to Keychain: Introducing Passwords App
Is Keychain a thing of the past? Sequoia offers a dedicated Passwords app. This one-stop hub stores all your passwords (including Wi-Fi passwords), passkeys, and verification codes. It seamlessly syncs across your Apple devices and even works on Windows machines with iCloud for Windows.
Messaging Gets a Boost:
Get ready to express yourself with more flair in Messages. Apply bold, italic, underline, and strikethrough formatting to your texts. Add animated effects to specific words for a touch of personality. Predictive text with suggested phrases and emojis makes communication even faster. Schedule messages for later delivery, ensuring your messages arrive at the perfect time.
A Glimpse into the Future: Apple Intelligence Features (M1 Chip Required):
For Macs powered by the M1 chip and later, Sequoia unlocks the potential of Apple Intelligence, a built-in “personal intelligence system.” Here’s a sneak peek at some of its functionalities:
- Writing Tools: Craft polished emails with Rewrite, which suggests different versions based on tone. Proofread ensures proper grammar and sentence structure, while Summarize condenses text into concise summaries.
- Image Playground: Unleash your creativity with Image Playground, an app that generates playful images based on descriptions or photos.
- Smarter Notes: Notes take note-taking to the next level. Transcribe audio sessions, summarize existing notes, and solve equations directly within the app.
- Enhanced Siri: Siri receives a long-awaited upgrade. Speak or type your requests, and the new Siri understands context within conversations, making interactions more natural and efficient. OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology is also integrated, offering an extra layer of assistance.
Beyond Apple Intelligence:
Sequoia offers a variety of additional features across various applications:
- Apple Maps: Explore the great outdoors with access to thousands of hiking trails across US national parks. Filter by difficulty, length, and route type, and save them for offline access.
- Calculator App: Perform complex calculations with ease. View entire expressions with trigonometry, parentheses, and multiple operations before hitting equals. Access a history of your calculations for reference.
- Calendar: Gain a holistic view of your schedule with a combined view of events and tasks from Reminders. The updated Month View provides a color-coded overview of your appointments.
- Photos: A new Collections feature automatically organizes your photos by topics. Pin-specific collections for quick access, ensuring your favourite memories are always at your fingertips.
- Game Mode: Experience smoother gameplay with improved frame rates and advanced power management. Personalized Spatial Audio and reduced audio latency enhance the experience with AirPods Pro (2nd generation).
- Home App: Manage guest access to your smart home and gain insights into your energy consumption with cost breakdowns based on current utility rates.
Compatibility:
MacOS Sequoia is a free update for compatible Apple computers. However, some features, like Apple Intelligence, are exclusive to Macs with the M1 series chip. Check the included list to see if your Mac is ready for Sequoia.
Availability:
MacOS Sequoia is currently available as a developer beta. The public beta, allowing everyone to try out the features, will be available in July.
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