Image: Apple
The latest version of Apple’s operating system, known as macOS Sonoma, is now available as a free software update. This update brings a plethora of useful new capabilities to the Mac, making it more capable for both work and play. With the release of macOS Sonoma, desktop widgets open up a new way to customise the Mac and get more work done. Additionally, attractive new screen savers, significant upgrades to video conferencing and Safari, and improved gaming make the Mac experience more enjoyable than it has ever been.
Widgets and Stunning Screen Savers
Widgets can be dropped onto the desktop in macOS Sonoma, where they will blend in with the background even if you have other windows open. Users may now interact with widgets on their desktops to do things like check off to-do lists, play and stop media, access home controls, and more. And with Continuity’s enchantment, users may add iPhone widgets to their Mac with even more individualised functionality.
Image: Apple
The new macOS Sonoma screen savers include slow-motion films of breathtaking landscapes from all across the world, from the towering skyscrapers of Hong Kong to the soaring sandstone buttes of Arizona’s Monument Valley. The screen savers continue on as the desktop wallpaper after login.
Powerful Productivity for Video Conferencing
macOS Sonoma includes improved functionality for video conferencing, which will let users more successfully present and share their work within any video conference program they want to use. The Presenter Overlay feature places users in front of the content that they are sharing, and the Reactions feature enables users to express how they are feeling through the use of simple hand movements that activate amusing, frame-filling 3D effects such as balloons, confetti, hearts, and more.
Image: Apple
Enhanced Browsing with Safari
Safari profiles allow users to keep their browsing habits organised into several groups for different purposes. New enhancements to Private Browsing include safeguards against sophisticated tracking methods, such as the automatic locking of Private Browsing windows when they are not in use and the prevention of known trackers from loading. Users of Safari can now “install” any webpage directly onto the Dock, just like any other program, complete with a streamlined toolbar and push notifications.
Image: Apple
An Immersive Gaming Experience
Tens of millions of Macs are capable of running intensive games with excellent performance, extended battery life, and stunning images thanks to Apple silicon. With Game Mode in macOS Sonoma, frame rates are more stable, and input and audio latency are drastically reduced when using wireless game controllers and AirPods. The Mac version of DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT, Stray, Layers of Fear, and SnowRunner are just a few of the upcoming titles that are compatible with Game Mode.
Image: Apple
Additional macOS Sonoma Updates
- Notes: Users are able to see PDFs and scans of presentations, assignments, research papers, and other documents directly within the Notes application itself. They also have the ability to construct linkages from one note to another in order to connect different thoughts and pieces of content.
- Passwords: A group of people are now able to share a password list with one another. Sharing passwords with iCloud Keychain ensures that everyone in a group has the ability to add to and modify existing passwords, and the entire process is encrypted from beginning to end. In addition, one-time verification codes that are received in the mail will now automatically fill in the appropriate fields in Safari, making it simple and convenient to log in securely without having to exit the browser.
- Messages: Everyday messaging is improved with new features, including search filters and swipe-to-reply, and users can now create brand-new Live Stickers that can be synchronised across macOS, iOS, and iPadOS.
- Reminders: By grouping items into categories and organising them horizontally in a new column format, Reminders’ intelligent grocery lists make weekly shopping excursions more efficient.
- Keyboard: The brand-new autocorrect feature makes it simpler and more accurate to make errors. Inline completions allow you to swiftly finish sentences, and Dictation provides advanced speech recognition as well as the capability to switch back and forth between speaking and typing without missing a beat.
- Screen Sharing: In order to help distant creative professionals get their work done, the Screen Sharing app has introduced a new high-performance option that provides very responsive remote access over high-bandwidth connections.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the arrival of macOS Sonoma as a free software update marks a monumental leap forward for Mac users worldwide. With this latest iteration, Apple has once again raised the bar, delivering a robust set of features that enhance both productivity and entertainment.
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Words by
Shikha Rana
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