At the Worldwide Developers Conference 2022, Apple unveils the new macOS Ventura. The latest Mac operating system introduces a new Stage Manager tool, also an update to Spotlight, Mail, Safari, and various continuity features that almost match with iOS. This version of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system will take the Mac experience to a whole new level, Apple says.
According to Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, “macOS Ventura includes powerful features and new innovations that help make the Mac experience even better. New tools like Stage Manager make focusing on tasks and moving between apps and windows easier and faster than ever, and Continuity Camera brings new videoconferencing features to any Mac, including Desk View, Studio Light, and more.” Federighi added that the latest operating system comes “With helpful new features in Messages, state-of-the-art search technologies in Mail, and an updated design for Spotlight, Ventura has so much to offer and enriches many of the ways customers use their Macs.”
The latest operating system comes with a Stage Manager tool, a tool guaranteed to give Mac users an all-new way to maintain focus on a task right before them while also providing a seamlessly switching between apps and windows. Stage Manager allows you to concentrate on work and still see everything on your Mac device in a single glance. Once enabled from the Control Center, the utility will automatically organize your open windows on the left side of your screen while centring the one you’re working in. Users can also take advantage of its ability to group windows together to easily open more than one at a time.
Also in the latest macOS pack is the Continuity Camera, a feature that unlocks new capabilities that were never possible on a webcam. With the power of Continuity, Mac automatically recognizes and uses the camera on iPhone whenever it is nearby effortlessly. iPhone can also connect to Mac devices wirelessly. Continuity Camera opens up Mac devices to more innovative features like the Center Stage, Portrait mode, and the new Studio Light — one of a kind effect that beautifully illuminates a user’s face while dimming the background. Another remarkable functionality associated with the Continuity Camera is that it has the ability to tap into the Ultra-Wide camera on the iPhone to enable Desk View, which simultaneously shows the user’s face and an overhead view of their desk. This can be helpful for users who create DIY videos, show off sketches over FaceTime, and so much more.
Handoff now comes to FaceTime, With Handoff users can literally start a FaceTime call right from on one Apple device and fluidly switch to another Apple device nearby without hassles. Users can begin a FaceTime call on an iPhone or iPad, then move the call to their Mac with just a click, or start a call on their Mac and transfer to an iPhone or iPad for mobility reasons.
Search in the Mail app receives an update this includes more complete previews, instant suggestions, and typo corrections. Users now have the ability to schedule and unsend emails within the app, set reminders to return to messages in the future, and receive follow-up suggestions. Mail can now also “intelligently detects if items such as an attachment or cc’d recipient are missing from their message.”
Safari has also received tweaks and is set to offer the fastest and most power-efficient browsing experience on the Mac. In macOS Ventura, Safari offers a new Tab Groups feature. This feature lets users share their favourite sites in Safar with friends, family, and colleagues and can see what tabs these friends, family or colleagues are on or viewing in real-time. Users can decide to build and share a list of bookmarks and even start conversations or calls without exiting the browser. It also supports biometric “Passkeys” as replacements for traditional passwords across multiple supported platforms. If you recall weeks ago, Apple, Google, and Microsoft all committed their support for the passwordless sign-in across all of their mobile, desktop, and browser platforms.
Messages on the Mac now include more abilities, and that includes the ability to edit and unsend messages, mark any message of the user’s choice as unread, and even recover accidentally deleted messages. New collaboration features that make working with others quick and seamless are also available. Other features in the new app make it easier to collaborate on files within group chats and to join SharePlay sessions. Users can join these SharePlay sessions from their Mac right in Messages, so they can chat and participate in synchronized experiences.
Spotlight introduces an updated design that makes navigation easier, its new features that provide a customised experience across Apple devices, and Quick Look for quickly previewing files. Users can now find images in their photo library, across the system, and on the web. Apple showcases the iCloud Shared Photo Library, now users have a chance to create and share a separate photo library among up to six family members. More great experiences coming to macOS Ventura include Live Text, The Weather and Clock apps, Live Captions for all audio content, Type to Speak on calls, Text Checker to support proofreading for VoiceOver users and a number of new security tool that makes Mac stronger and more resistant to attack.
For so long Apple has put effort into bringing macOS as closer as possible to its mobile counterparts, and the new operating system showcase an improvement of this commitment. The past few macOS releases have ported iOS’s staple features as well as design elements that continue to universalize the Apple enthusiast’s experience across devices.
Olagoke Ajibola is a creative writer and content producer with an eye for details and excellence. He has a demonstrated history of telling stories for TV, Film and Online. Aside from being fascinated by the power of imagination, his other interest are travel, sport, reading and meeting people.
