Apple unveils macOS Sequoia with iPhone Mirroring and Apple Intelligence
Apple showed off macOS Sequoia at its Worldwide Developers Conference, showcasing new productivity and intelligence features for the Mac. This latest version of macOS introduces iPhone Mirroring, important updates to the Safari browser, and a host of new games, all while integrating Apple Intelligence for a more capable and intuitive user experience.
Mac Sequoia It brings iPhone Mirroring for improved continuity, allowing users to control their iPhone directly from their Mac. Users can access their iPhone apps, scroll through Home screen pages, and interact using the Mac’s keyboard, trackpad, and mouse. Notifications can be managed, and files can be dragged and dropped between iPhone and Mac seamlessly.
Safari is getting a big update with Highlights, a new feature that simplifies the process of discovering information on web pages. Redesigned Reader Mode provides 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 gets even more immersive with new titles like Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Frostpunk 2, and more. Customized spatial audio and low audio latency with AirPods Pro (2nd generation) make your gaming experience even more engaging. Game mode improvements deliver 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 built into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. Apple Intelligence combines creative 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.
“The combination of the power of Apple’s processor and the legendary ease of use of macOS makes the Mac more capable than ever,” commented Craig Federighi, senior vice president of Software Engineering at Apple. Today, we’re excited to take macOS to new heights with macOS Sequoia, a major release that increases productivity and intelligence.
New window tiling options in macOS Sequoia allow users to organize their workspace efficiently. Dragging the window to the edge of the screen suggests a tiled position, allowing for quick and easy arrangement of multiple apps. Video conferencing improvements include presenter preview and customizable backgrounds, improving the user experience in apps like FaceTime and Zoom.
The new Passwords app, built on top of Keychain, simplifies access to passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords, and other credentials. It securely syncs with iCloud, ensuring users’ information is available across their Apple and Windows devices through the iCloud for Windows app.
Apple Intelligence improves communication with new system-level writing tools to rewrite, correct, and summarize text. Image Playground lets users quickly create fun photos, and Memories in Photos features crafting custom stories from photos and videos. Siri becomes more context-aware, providing a seamless experience with new capabilities to handle tasks and understand user requests.
Privacy remains a priority with Private Cloud Compute, which balances on-device processing with server-based models without storing data. Independent experts can verify the privacy of models running on Apple silicon servers, ensuring user data remains safe.
ChatGPT integration across iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia gives users direct access to its expertise and image and document understanding capabilities. Siri can use ChatGPT to gain additional insights, requesting user permission before sending any data. ChatGPT tools complement system-level 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 transcription and audio summarization, and the Calculator app now displays a history of calculations and expressions as users type. The calendar consolidates events and tasks from Reminders for a streamlined daily view.
The developer beta of macOS Sequoia is available through the Apple Developer Program, and the 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
