Typically, Apple releases its new iOS update along with its latest iPhones in mid-September, while it often holds off releasing its macOS update until either October or November. According to some reports, this year the Cupertino-based company may actually launch both at the same time. The decision seems to be based around ensuring some key cross platform features, such as iPhone mirroring, are working properly on both platforms. Here are a few of the features Mac owners have to look forward to with the updated OS.
iPhone Mirroring will allow users to not only mirror their iPhone on their Mac, but control it too. As notifications from an iPhone arrive on the Mac, users will be able to take action and launch straight into an app when using iPhone Mirroring. Users will also be able to move files, photos, and videos between an iPhone and Mac as easily as dragging and dropping between apps on Mac.
Apple Intelligence has been a hot topic since its announcement at WWDC 2024, and will make its way to macOS Sequoia sometime this fall. While using the company’s self-named AI will be free to use at launch, analysts have suggested Apple could end up monetizing the feature behind a paywall, possibly costing anywhere from $10 to $20 a month. Apple Intelligence may arrive on Macs as early as October, but nothing has been confirmed as of yet.
Keeping up passwords across multiple devices can be a severe pain. Apple, however, wants to help ease that pain for those bought into its ecosystem with a new Passwords app. The new app will securely store all credentials in one place, and sync them across devices and apps. It will work across Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision Pro, and yes, even Windows.
Safari will be getting a few new updates as well, such as being able to quickly pull up relevant info from a site with the new Highlights feature. Users will also be able to take advantage of a revamped Reader, with a table of contents and high-level summary, allowing users to get the gist from an article before even reading it. Another new feature, Video Viewer, will give more control over web videos, by placing a detected video front and center, while still giving full access to system playback controls.
There are plenty of other new things coming with macOS Sequoia, such as updates to games for Mac, Messages, Maps, and Notes. Anyone wanting a more complete view of what is coming to macOS Sequoia can visit Apple.com.
Most are anticipating Apple to hold its iPhone event on September 10, with iPhones launching around September 20. If this ends up being the case, it is likely iOS 18 and possibly macOS Sequoia will release around September 18, 2024.