macOS 15 Sequoia with AI and many detailed improvements
The next Mac operating system will get generative AI in the fall, as well as iPhone mirroring, a dedicated password app and improved window management.
Apple is not changing its Californian patriotism: the new macOS 15 will bear the nickname of a landmark from Apple's homeland - namely "Sequoia", a national park. Apple announced this at the opening event of this year's WWDC developer conference. In addition to system improvements and AI functions, macOS 15 brings numerous innovations to the apps included.
Apple Intelligence and Siri
As many had hoped, Apple let the AI cat out of the bag at the end of the WWDC keynote. Apple's AI is deeply integrated into the system, understands users and knows about them. The company emphasizes its high data protection standards. The computing capacity of the device and Apple's own servers with Apple chips are used for larger AI models. Many basic models are executed directly on the devices so as not to reveal any private details to Apple. More complex tasks are handled by servers, which Apple calls "Private Cloud Compute". Apple also wants to be able to quickly adapt and improve the AI models.
The system-wide available "Writing Tools" help in any app to reformulate, proofread and summarize text for a target group, for example.
Images can be generated in various styles using "Image Playground". The function is available as a separate app, but is also available in Notes, Keynote, Freeform and Pages. Third-party users receive an API. The AI can use images from the photo library as a basis.
Apple calls specially generated emoji-style images "Genmojis", which can be used in messages and also for the tapback function.
In addition, the search function in the Photos app is now based on AI. Images can be found here using natural language.
The voice assistant Siri, which now retains the context of follow-up requests, benefits from the AI functions. You can also ask questions about the screen content and interact with apps. Siri can also answer more complex questions relating to content from other apps, such as: "Play the podcast that Jamie recommended". The new icon in the menu bar will continue to appear in color as the last system icon.
Apple also announced the integration of ChatGPT into all systems. The company is currently relying on the current GPT-4o language model from OpenAI. No account will be required. When accessing the OpenAI servers, the IP addresses are made unrecognizable and, according to Apple, OpenAI does not store any requests.
Apple's AI functions require at least one Mac with an M1 chip and will initially be available in English in the USA in the fall. Further details can be found in the separate article on Apple Intelligence.
Mirror content from the iPhone
As part of the Continuity function, the iPhone display can now be mirrored on the Mac. Interactions with the mouse, trackpad and keyboard are also possible. Messages from the iPhone also arrive on the Mac with "iPhone Mirroring". The sound of the apps is transmitted live to the Mac. The iPhone remains locked during access. As with iPadOS, files can be transferred to the iPhone using drag & drop. This function requires a Mac with a T2 security chip or Secure Enclave.
Improved window management
Windows can be arranged in tiles to prevent content from overlapping. The windows automatically snap into a grid. The windows can be dragged to the edge of the screen to quickly place two windows next to each other, for example, without having to use Split View. The function can also be used via keyboard shortcuts.
New order in the system settings
Apple will slightly restructure the "System Preferences" program, which was newly developed with macOS 13 Ventura and adapted to iOS. Many users were annoyed by the sometimes difficult to understand placement of some settings pages. In future, you will find more frequently required areas such as "General" or "Battery" further up. Settings such as "Appearance", "Control Center" and "Desktop & Dock" are conveniently located right next to each other.
Passwords in their own app
Apple has moved the password management introduced with macOS 12 Monterey from the system settings to a separate program. This makes it easier to anchor it in the Dock, for example, and brings it closer to third-party apps in terms of operation. As before, "Passwords" is mainly used to manage access data for websites and apps as well as Wi-Fi passwords and passkeys. Syncing takes place via the iCloud keychain.
The utility for managing certificates and other keychains will apparently remain. Apple's new password manager will also be released for Windows and will be available in visionOS 2.
Safari 18
Apple's web browser will be even more energy-efficient than before and will be able to stream videos for up to 4 hours longer on a single charge than Google Chrome. The private browsing mode makes website visitors even harder to identify. The Highlights feature uses machine learning to summarize the key content of a website in an overlay, from which you can go directly to the redesigned Reader function. For articles that deal with a music album, the Highlights feature suggests the matching album on Apple Music. On pages with a video, it can detach the viewer function and adapt it to the window size without having to switch to full-screen mode.
Messages
Messages can be formulated in advance and sent automatically at a later time. Text can also be formatted and provided with animated effects at letter level.
Apple is also expanding the tapback function of the Messages app. Until now, only a few reactions such as "thumbs up" or "heart" were available, but in future it will be possible to react with any emoji, as in other chat solutions. The AI-generated Genmojis can also be used for this purpose.
Photos
Apple is revamping photo management with Sequoia. For example, a filter can be used to hide screenshots in the "All photos" view. Collections collect images thematically according to time, people, favorite memories or trips. Collections can be arranged in any order and shared with others. An AI-supported album collects "the best" photos. Apple has expanded face and animal recognition to include recognition for groups of people.
The search function now finds photos using natural language and understands sentences such as: "Maya skateboarding in a tie-dye outfit" or "Katie with stickers on her face".
The Photos app can remove unwanted objects with the help of AI, supplementing manual retouching.
The new macOS, presented at WWDC 2024 (7 Bilder)
Innovations in other Apple apps
- Reminders and the calendar are no longer necessarily separate apps. Tasks with deadlines appear directly in the calendar if desired.
- Notes now recognizes mathematical formulas and calculations. You can also collapse sections with subheadings and embed voice memos with an automatic transcript.
- In Freeform, drawings can be divided into scenes. These are sections that you can quickly switch between without having to scroll and zoom
- The map app supports walking routes on all platforms.
- For FaceTime and video calls with other apps, macOS can crop the person live and add a background. This means you no longer have to rely on an app having this function. There is also a preview for window content to be shared.
- The calculator can handle brackets better and has a revised unit conversion and history view (receipt).
Gaming and Metal 3
The improved graphics framework Metal 3 is available to developers on all Apple platforms. With the Game Porting Toolkit 2 and improvements in Xcode, it should now be easier to bring Mac and Windows games to mobile platforms. Ubisoft brings "Prince of Persia: The Last Crown" and the new "Assassin's Creed Shadows" to the Mac.
Hardware requirements
With two exceptions, macOS 15 Sequoia will run on all Macs that also support macOS 14 Sonoma. The 2018 and 2019 MacBook Air models are excluded:
- iMac from 2019
- iMac Pro from 2017
- Mac Studio from 2022
- MacBook Air from 2020
- Mac mini from 2018
- MacBook Pro from 2018
- Mac Pro from 2019
Availability of macOS 15 Sequoia
The final version of macOS 15 is expected to be released to end customers in September or October. Developers can install the developer beta from today. The freely accessible public beta will be released in July.
(wre)
