Greatest macOS Sequoia options and the way to make most of them

After the macOS Sequoia presentation, I used to be like, “Wow, all of this in a single replace?” It actually seems huge — from Apple Intelligence to Genmoji! So, let’s dive into the key new options in macOS Sequoia and see how they’ll improve your work and every day life.

[Just for fun, I’ve ranked them from most to least anticipated based on my personal excitement.]

Let’s begin with a fast overview after which take a more in-depth look beneath.

Overview of macOS Sequoia

Sequoia macOS (macOS 15) was formally introduced at Apple’s Worldwide Builders Convention (WWDC) in June 2024. The primary enchancment in macOS Sequoia is the deep integration of Apple Intelligence, Apple’s AI. We’ve additionally bought new options like iPhone Mirroring, a Passwords app, and extra.

macOS Sequoia Launch Date

macOS Sequoia might be launched on September 16, 2024. Nevertheless, the primary launch might not embrace all of the introduced options — Apple will roll them out steadily in future updates.

By the best way, some customers started testing the brand new OS two months earlier than its official launch. These are the individuals who joined the Apple Beta Software program Program and have already had entry to the open beta on July fifteenth.

Compatibility

The Sequoia macOS is usually out there for the next units:

• iMac (2019 and later)
• Mac Studio (2022)
• Mac mini (2018 and later)
• Mac Professional (2019 and later)
• iMac Professional (2017 and later)
• MacBook Air (2020 and later)
• MacBook Professional (2018 and later)

I say “typically” as a result of some options might be restricted by machine, area, or language. For instance, Apple Intelligence might be out there in beta on Macs with M1 chips or later and require Siri and the machine language set to U.S. English. Safari Highlights (extra on that later) will work solely in U.S. English, and Dwell Transcription in Notes might be restricted to English and Mac fashions with Apple silicon.

Key Options of macOS Sequoia

So, what’s new in macOS Sequoia? Let’s discover!

Apple Intelligence integration

Essentially the most important new function in macOS Sonoma is Apple Intelligence. It is not a standalone function however a deeply built-in AI throughout the system, working with each built-in and third-party apps. Listed below are a number of examples of Apple Intelligence capabilities.

Improved writing

Acquired a textual content and wish to enhance it? Choose it and select the choice to your liking: rewrite, proofread, change the model or tone, shorten, or summarize key concepts. This function works throughout all apps you may write in — like Mail, Notes, Pages, and extra, together with third-party apps. The summarization instrument can deal with each your writing and on-line publications.

Supply: https://www.apple.com/apple-events/

Picture Playground

Picture Playground allows you to generate photographs in three types (Animation, Illustration, and Sketch) based mostly in your immediate, much like the way you do it in ChatGPT. Notice that these photographs aren’t life like. You can too create Genmoji, your personalised emoji.

Upgraded Siri

Siri now understands private context. It could actually fulfill requests like, “Discover a photograph of me in Rome with Mary dancing beneath an umbrella,” or “Reschedule my assembly from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. if it does not battle with my different plans,” and even “Add the brand new tackle Mark despatched me in a message to his contacts.” Siri may assist edit pictures, help with digital camera setup, and extra.

Supply: https://www.apple.com/apple-events/

Sensible Reply in Mail

Mail analyzes your electronic mail and gives a number of doable responses. If the e-mail comprises a query, Sensible Reply gives a number of doable solutions, much like a multiple-choice check, and all it’s important to do is select the one which’s best for you. 

Apple emphasizes that deep AI integration is not going to compromise your privateness. Something that may be processed domestically in your machine might be dealt with domestically. If a request requires server entry, no info is saved or accessible by Apple.

Furthermore, Apple hints that these options are only the start and that there are extra thrilling updates to return.

iPhone Mirroring

iPhone Mirroring does precisely what it says — your iPhone is mirrored in your Mac, and you’ll work together with it as if it had been in your arms. The cellphone itself stays locked.

You may scroll by screens, open apps, drag and drop recordsdata, sort into apps utilizing your Mac’s keyboard, and extra. Notifications out of your iPhone may seem in your Mac desktop, and whenever you open them, you are taken on to the app that despatched them.

Sensible worth? First, you may entry your cellphone with out lifting a finger, even when it is within the different room. Second, you should utilize cellular options on the large display screen — for instance, rapidly edit and publish a video.

Supply: https://www.apple.com/apple-events/

Devoted Passwords app

The Mac has lengthy helped us log into our accounts simply, however many customers have questioned the comfort of the Keychain. Now, for the primary time ever, a devoted password app is obtainable on macOS. It’s nonetheless the identical outdated Keychain beneath the hood, however extra cozy now.

The app consolidates all of your passwords, together with Wi-Fi passwords, passkeys, two-factor authentication codes, and even safety alerts in case a password is compromised.

The Passwords app additionally consists of Shared teams, simplifying the method for individuals who want to supply household, pals, or colleagues with entry to shared streaming providers, platforms, or units.

The app syncs your passwords throughout your complete Apple ecosystem and even works on Home windows by the iCloud for Home windows app.

Supply: https://www.apple.com/apple-events/

Safari

Deep AI integration has allowed to deliver one thing known as Highlights to Safari. This function presents key info and options from a web page in a handy window. For instance, whenever you go to a restaurant’s web page, the window would possibly show a quick description, hours of operation, instructions, and extra.

Reader has additionally been improved with new shade and font choices, and it now robotically generates a desk of contents for the web page.

Watching movies is extra handy, too. Safari now detects movies on a web page, permitting you to drag them right into a separate window and rapidly swap to picture-in-picture mode — a function many people have missed.

Supply: https://www.apple.com/apple-events/

Upgraded Messages options

Messages has obtained a number of sensible and a few enjoyable updates.

• Message schedules. Now you can delay sending a message for as much as two weeks.
• Textual content results. You may cost your textual content with feelings: along with highlighting, italicizing, underlining, or strikethrough, now you can animate particular phrases or phrases.
• Genmoji. These are AI-generated emojis based mostly in your prompts. Out of your keyboard, you may create a purple hippo enjoying guitar or a Genmoji that appears like your good friend Max (as a result of Apple Intelligence is aware of what your contacts seem like).
• Sticker Tapback. Humorous stickers and emojis are added to a reasonably boring query mark&co Tapback set. 

Supply: https://www.apple.com/apple-events/

Superior note-taking in Notes

Essentially the most important replace to Notes is the power to work with audio. Now you can add audio to a be aware and generate a transcription. 

Subsequent, Notes can deal with math calculations — each fundamental ones and people usually carried out by a scientific calculator. The calculations are carried out on the fly as you sort numbers or formulation. 

Supply: https://www.apple.com/apple-events/

Apple Maps enhancements

1000’s of detailed path networks and hikes (together with all 63 U.S. Nationwide Parks) will seem on topographic maps, which might be downloaded for offline use in case you lose sign whereas off the grid.

When planning a route, you’ll be capable of select from choices like “a technique,” “out and again,” or a loop. The maps will show the hike’s size and length, visualize ascents and descents together with their elevation, and present the air high quality index and temperature.

Supply: https://www.apple.com/apple-events/

Improved Pictures and Collections

The Pictures replace on macOS primarily centered on sorting, introducing a brand new function known as Collections. It robotically organizes your pictures into totally different teams: Day, Individuals & Pets, Reminiscences, Journeys, and Featured Pictures.

Moreover, the app will now type receipts, pictures with handwritten textual content, illustrations, duplicates, and extra for you.

Up to date Calendar

Calendar is mixed with Reminders in the identical manner as on iOS and iPadOS. Once you click on the plus signal to create a calendar entry, now you can select between New Occasion and New Reminder. All settings that had been beforehand out there for Reminders, corresponding to precedence, including URL, and many others., are nonetheless there.

Up to date Calculator

The Calculator’s look has remained largely unchanged, however its performance has been considerably expanded. A brand new calculator button within the lower-left nook of the app now offers you entry to the scientific and programmer calculators. It additionally consists of Math Notes (as talked about within the Notes part) and a Converter, which might even deal with foreign money conversions.

Find out how to entry these options

macOS Sequoia might be publicly out there on September 16, 2024. To improve, go to System Settings > Common > Software program Updates. There, you may see an replace suggestion — click on Replace to put in it instantly or schedule it for a later time.

Must you replace to macOS 15 Sequoia?

In case your Mac mannequin helps the brand new working system and also you wish to take pleasure in the advantages of Sequoia, then it’s positively price upgrading.

Only a fast reminder: early variations of a brand new OS might include some bugs or compatibility points, so be aware when upgrading.

Earlier than you improve, I extremely suggest that you just clear your MacBook of system junk with CleanMyMac X. Consider it as clearing the runway for a clean touchdown with the brand new working system.

Second, control your laptop computer’s efficiency with the brand new macOS. I like to recommend putting in iStat Menus to watch whether or not the CPU is overloading, the processor is overheating, or the battery is draining quicker than common. These metrics will enable you to decide if any changes are wanted to optimize your system’s efficiency.

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