The biggest thing in macOS Sequoia is not a new look. It is artificial intelligence. Apple showed the new Mac software at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, and Apple Intelligence, a set of AI features shared across iPhone, iPad and Mac, took the lead role.
With these tools, users can rewrite, proofread and summarise text nearly anywhere they write, including Mail, Notes, Pages and third-party apps. Apple says the system understands and creates language and images, and can take action across apps. Every Mac with an M-series chip will support it.
“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,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. He called Sequoia “a big release that elevates productivity and intelligence.”
Your iPhone on your Mac
For anyone who keeps one eye on a phone while working at a laptop, iPhone mirroring is the feature to watch. It uses Continuity to show the iPhone screen on the Mac, so users can control the phone from there. The paired iPhone stays locked. Custom wallpaper and icons appear on the Mac, people can swipe between Home Screen pages or open any app, and audio plays through the computer. Dragging and dropping between the two devices works too. Notifications on the Mac bring up the mirror mode.
Safari, windows and passwords
Safari gets Highlights, which surfaces directions, summaries or quick links about people, music, movies and TV shows. Reader mode now offers a summary and a table of contents for long articles. When Safari finds a video on a page, a Viewer option puts it front and centre while keeping full playback controls, including Picture in Picture.
Windows can now tile themselves, much as they do on Microsoft Windows. Drag one to the edge of the screen and macOS suggests a tiled position on the desktop.
A new Passwords app, built on Keychain, gives quick access to passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords and other credentials. They sync between Apple devices and Windows through the iCloud for Windows app.
Sources
- Apple announces macOS Sequoia at WWDC 2024: iPhone mirroring, Window tiling and other big features coming Apple laptops – Times of India
- Worldwide Developers Conference
