Apple unveiled macOS Sequoia as the latest version of its desktop operating system for Macs at WWDC 2024 on Monday. The macOS Sonoma update will roll out to eligible Mac models later this year with support for new features including iPhone Mirroring, a dedicated Passwords app that runs on the company’s devices as well as Windows PCs. Meanwhile, Apple’s Safari browser is getting the ability to automatically compress web pages, using machine learning technology. The macOS 15 update will roll out to eligible Macs later this year.
With macOS Sequoia, Apple is adding support for iPhone Mirroring, which will allow users to wirelessly access their smartphone, directly from their computer screen. The feature will work even when the smartphone is away and the screen is locked, according to the company. Apple also says that iPhone notifications will be mirrored on macOS Sequoia, and users can interact with them to open and interact with the app without picking up the smartphone.
Apple Intelligence on macOS Sequoia will only be available on Apple Silicon Macs
Photo credit: Apple
Apple Intelligence, the company’s on-device artificial intelligence system powered by the Neural Engine, will also enable new features on compatible Macs later this year. These include a more powerful Siri that can take actions within apps, proofread and rewrite text in supported apps, and image generation via Image Playground. Apple’s Photos app is also getting AI upgrades, including the ability to generate videos from photos with prompts.
The upcoming macOS Sequoia update will finally make third-party window tiling managers like Magnet and BetterSnapTool obsolete with native support for the same functionality, nearly 25 years after the first version of Apple’s desktop operating system was released. Meanwhile, the Messages app will add support for emoji and Tapback reaction stickers, just like iOS 18.
Apple is also upgrading the Photos app on macOS Sequoia with support for displaying collections based on specific topics, while giving users access to improved search results — including content within videos. The Apple Notes app will also transcribe audio and summarize notes using Apple Intelligence.
The company also announced many new features enabled by Apple Intelligence — such as Image Playground, text proofreading and rewording, and summary generation — that will only be available on Mac models running on Apple Silicon. This limits support to computers with M1, M2 or M3 chips. Both Apple Intelligence on Device and the Private Cloud Compute feature are designed to protect user privacy while enabling AI features on eligible devices, according to the company.
