Summary
- Apple announced macOS Sequoia during WWDC 2024.
- The update will bring features like iPhone Mirroring, Safari updates, new gaming tools, and more.
- Apple Intelligence will also be a big part of the new OS, providing users access to new AI tools.
WWDC is underway, and Apple has already shed light on some of the great things that are coming with the latest versions of watchOS, iOS and iPadOS. Of course, macOS can't be left off of that list, as the brand brings new and exciting features to its operating system for laptops and desktops. With that said, let's go ahead and check out some of the new features coming with macOS Sequoia.
iPhone Mirroring
Apple's Continuity reaches new levels with the introduction of iPhone Mirroring. Just like it sounds, you're going to now be able to access your iPhone from your Mac desktop or laptop. You can see what's on the iPhone and control it from your Mac. You can use the phone just as you would if it was in your hand.
You'll get access to your favorite apps and iPhone notifications will even show up on the desktop. Best of all, you're going to be able to interact with these notifications too, just like you would on a phone. When it comes to the actual iPhone, it stays locked while you're interacting with it on your Mac. So what you're doing on your phone stays private.
Safari
It's not good enough to have a browser that just takes to web pages on the internet. As time becomes more limited for many users, it's important to get users to the meat of the subject in order to optimize one's experience. Apple's latest Safari update tries to make this happen by bringing content that's important, front and center.
The new Highlights feature will take key information like directions, music, movies, and more — and put it directly in front of users' eyes, making it easier to find the information that's important. Reader is also getting a small revamp that will provide a more streamlined view, while also providing options for a quick summary of an article, or the ability to generate a table of contents for longer articles.
Gaming
Apple's been trying to make gaming a thing on Mac for the past few years, and this year, it's once again going a little deeper with new tools that will help developers make that a reality. The brand introduced its new Game Porting Toolkit 2, which will make it even easier for developers to port their games to not only Mac, but iPhone and iPad as well.
Organization just got easier
While huge tent pole features are nice, it's always great to see Apple going back to the basics to make them even better. If you've ever wanted a better way to organize your windows, you're now going to get that ability with Window Tiling that's now even more improved.
With the latest macOS update, users will now be able to experiment with new Tile layouts. Furthermore, a new feature will provide Tile position suggestions for users and there will even be keyboard shortcuts to command tiles at the press of a button.
In addition, Apple will also bring in a new Presenter preview option, so you can see exactly what you're broadcasting, ensuring that you're not making any mistakes when hopping on a video call. This feature will be available in FaceTime, but can also be used in Zoom as well.
While not as cool to use, Apple is also bringing its new Math Notes feature to macOS, making it easier to get answers from all your math calculations that you might have typed out. Furthermore, the brand is now updating Freeform with new Scenes, making it easier to select a section of the board for viewing and editing.
Apple Intelligence
Of course, the big news here is that Apple is finally getting into AI with the introduction of Apple Intelligence. And just like many of its other products, privacy is one of the key takeaways just in case anyone was concerned about how this was all going to work.
As you might expect, Apple Intelligence is going to make mundane tasks a little easier to process, with users being able to utilize the new system wide Writing Tools, which will be able to proofread, summarize text, rewrite text, and more. Image generation will also make its debut, allowing users to create something from scratch using prompts.
Of course, Siri is also finally getting a boost here, with Apple sharing that its assistant will be "more natural, contextually relevant, and personal." And with Private Cloud Compute, users can feel safe knowing that their data is not stored, nor is it accessible by Apple. Furthermore, users will gain access to ChatGPT as it will be integrated within macOS.
If any of this sounds interesting, and you want to give it a try, you can do so starting today by being part of the Apple Developer Program. Those that aren't part of it but still want to take an early look will get their chance with the public beta set to drop next month. And if you're not really sure what's going on, then just wait until this update drops as an official release later this year.