Apple announces macOS Sonoma with desktop widgets

CALIFORNIA: Tech giant Apple unveiled macOS Sonoma, the latest version of its desktop operating system, at its 2023 Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday.

The main highlights, according to The Verge, an American Technology website, include desktop widget compatibility, a new game mode, and moving aerial screensavers.

Based on Apple’s prior release method, the upgrade, also known as macOS 14, should be released in developer beta soon and as a public beta in the coming weeks. The general public will be able to purchase it later this year.

Widgets may be moved from the Notification Centre to the desktop or imported from an iPhone via Continuity if both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. They can be interactive (for example, letting you cross items off a to-do list or manage media playing or linked smart home gadgets) and are meant to fade into the background when a window is opened.

A new “Game Mode” for Mac is also available, which prioritises a game’s access to CPU and GPU resources while also reducing latency for linked AirPods, Xbox, and PlayStation controllers. According to Apple, the mode is compatible with all games on the operating system. Apple had game creator Hideo Kojima appear during its stream to announce that Death Stranding Director’s Cut will be coming to macOS to reaffirm its commitment to gaming on the Mac.

MacOS Sonoma also has video conferencing with a presenter overlay. During a video call, it essentially overlays your image in several settings while sharing the screen. This is compatible with FaceTime and Zoom.

These features, along with a set of reactive AR effects that may be enabled during conversations, appear to be used across any videoconferencing programme, as per Verge reports.

Sonoma will also provide upgrades for Safari, Apple’s web browser. Web applications now behave more like conventional macOS programmes, including alerts and the option to pin them to your dock. Profiles are supported, allowing you to keep cookies, browsing history, and tab groups distinct depending on whether you’re using it for business or for pleasure, and private browser windows are meant to provide further security from online tracking and to lock when not in use. Apple also hopes to make it easier to securely exchange passkeys and passwords with iCloud Keychain.

In addition to the macOS-specific improvements, Apple adds that some of the iOS 17 updates will also be available for its Mac operating system. Improved autocorrection, the ability to call Siri without saying “hey,” faster form-filling in PDFs, and expanded sticker capabilities are among them.