Apple has previewed macOS Sequoia at its Worldwide Developers Conference, showcasing new productivity and intelligence features for Mac. This latest version of macOS introduces iPhone Mirroring, significant updates to Safari, and a range of new games, all while integrating Apple Intelligence for a more capable and intuitive user experience.
macOS Sequoia brings iPhone Mirroring to improve Continuity, allowing users to control their iPhone directly from their Mac. Users can access their iPhone apps, swipe through Home Screen pages, and interact using Mac’s keyboard, trackpad, and mouse. Notifications can be managed, and files can be dragged and dropped between iPhone and Mac seamlessly.
Safari receives a major update with Highlights, a new feature that simplifies information discovery on webpages. The redesigned Reader mode offers a distraction-free reading experience with summaries and tables of contents for longer articles. Additionally, the Viewer feature puts videos front and center while maintaining access to playback controls.
Gaming on Mac becomes more immersive with new titles like Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Frostpunk 2, and more. Personalized Spatial Audio and reduced audio latency with AirPods Pro (2nd generation) make the gaming experience more engaging. Game Mode improvements provide smoother frame rates, and the updated Game Porting Toolkit makes it easier for developers to bring advanced games to Mac.
macOS Sequoia introduces Apple Intelligence, a personal intelligence system integrated into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. Apple Intelligence combines generative models with personal context to improve language and image understanding and simplify tasks. It leverages Apple silicon and the Neural Engine to boost performance on all M-series Macs.
Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, commented, “The all-star combination of the power of Apple silicon and the legendary ease of use of macOS have made the Mac more capable than ever. Today, we’re excited to take macOS to new heights with macOS Sequoia, a big release that increases productivity and intelligence.”
New window tiling options in macOS Sequoia allow users to organize their workspace efficiently. Dragging a window to the screen edge suggests a tiled position, enabling quick and easy arrangement of multiple apps. Video conferencing enhancements include a presenter preview and customizable backgrounds, improving the user experience in apps like FaceTime and Zoom.
The new Passwords app, built on the foundation of Keychain, simplifies access to passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords, and other credentials. It syncs securely with iCloud, ensuring users’ information is available across their Apple devices and Windows through the iCloud for Windows app.
Apple Intelligence improves communication with new systemwide Writing Tools for rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing text. Image Playground allows users to create playful images quickly, and the Photos app’s Memories feature crafts personalized storylines from photos and videos. Siri becomes more contextually aware, providing a seamless experience with new capabilities for handling tasks and understanding user requests.
Privacy remains a priority with Private Cloud Compute, which balances on-device processing and server-based models without storing data. Independent experts can verify the privacy of the models running on Apple silicon servers, ensuring user data remains secure.
ChatGPT integration across iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia allows users to access its expertise and image and document understanding capabilities directly. Siri can use ChatGPT for additional insights, with user permission required before sending any data. ChatGPT’s tools complement the systemwide Writing Tools, providing users with a comprehensive content creation experience.
Additional features in macOS Sequoia include updates to Messages, Apple Maps, and Photos. Notes get smarter with audio transcription and summarization, and the Calculator app now shows calculation history and expressions as users type. Calendar integrates events and tasks from Reminders for a streamlined daily view.
The developer beta of macOS Sequoia is available through the Apple Developer Program, and a public beta will be available next month. The full release will be a free update this fall, with Apple Intelligence available in beta on iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and devices with M1 and later.
Image: Apple
