Apple has just revealed macOS 10.16, its much-anticipated followup to macOS Catalina (10.15), at its WWDC 2020 event.
This will be a major update to the operating system for Macs and MacBooks, and while Apple hasn't revealed when the final version of macOS 10.16 will be available to download, it's likely that it will be around September or October of this year, if previous macOS launches are anything to go by.
And, because Apple is moving Mac to Apple Silicon macOS 10.16 Big Sur, compatibility for non-Intel processors will be baked into the operating system.
Developing...
macOS 10.16 confirmed features
AirPods improvements
On top of some pretty cool Spatial Audio support for the AirPods Pro, a pretty major improvement for AirPods support on macOS is here. Rather than fiddling with your Bluetooth settings when you want to use your AirPods with your Mac, they will automatically switch to your Mac when you start using it.
Sidebar in Mail and Photos
The Apple Mail and Photo apps have been out of date for a while now, but Apple has brought new designs to a lot of the biggest Mac Apps, with the most notable ones being the new sidebars in Mail and Photos.
Control Center on Mac
One of the best things about iOS is the super convenient Control Center that lets you change settings at a glance. macOS Big Sur brings that to the Mac, and it's easily accessible in the Menu Bar, so that you can easily change settings without digging through the preferences app.
Widgets in the notifications app
Just like iOS 14, macOS 10.16 is getting widgets in the notifications menu, which will make it easier to get important information at a glance, with easy to read interfaces.
Messages improvements
Messages on macOS has been behind iOS for a while (and kind of still is), but now you can use Pinned Messages and Memoji, which is a nice touch, but it's still far behind everything the app can do on your iPhone or iPad.
Mac Catalyst
One of the biggest headline features of macOS Mojave was that it brought some big-name iOS apps to the Mac. However, through Mac Catalyst, new APIs and tools will help app developers bring more iOS apps over to the Mac operating system. Through these tools, you'll get stuff like resizable windows and keyboard tools, which will make them feel like Mac Apps, rather than iPhone apps.
Safari
Safari is the unsung hero of macOS, and some new improvements have made it even faster – now 50% faster than Chrome, according to Apple – along with even more privacy improvements.
Also, Safari will also keep an eye on your passwords, and will notify you in case of a data breach. There's also a privacy report button that will live right next to the address bar, and by clicking it, you can check everything that's tracking you.
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This will be a major update to the operating system for Macs and MacBooks, and while Apple hasn't revealed when the final version of macOS 10.16 will be available to download, it's likely that it will be around September or October of this year, if previous macOS launches are anything to go by.
And, because Apple is moving Mac to Apple Silicon macOS 10.16 Big Sur, compatibility for non-Intel processors will be baked into the operating system.
Developing...
macOS 10.16 confirmed features
AirPods improvements
On top of some pretty cool Spatial Audio support for the AirPods Pro, a pretty major improvement for AirPods support on macOS is here. Rather than fiddling with your Bluetooth settings when you want to use your AirPods with your Mac, they will automatically switch to your Mac when you start using it.
Sidebar in Mail and Photos
The Apple Mail and Photo apps have been out of date for a while now, but Apple has brought new designs to a lot of the biggest Mac Apps, with the most notable ones being the new sidebars in Mail and Photos.
Control Center on Mac
One of the best things about iOS is the super convenient Control Center that lets you change settings at a glance. macOS Big Sur brings that to the Mac, and it's easily accessible in the Menu Bar, so that you can easily change settings without digging through the preferences app.
Widgets in the notifications app
Just like iOS 14, macOS 10.16 is getting widgets in the notifications menu, which will make it easier to get important information at a glance, with easy to read interfaces.
Messages improvements
Messages on macOS has been behind iOS for a while (and kind of still is), but now you can use Pinned Messages and Memoji, which is a nice touch, but it's still far behind everything the app can do on your iPhone or iPad.
Mac Catalyst
One of the biggest headline features of macOS Mojave was that it brought some big-name iOS apps to the Mac. However, through Mac Catalyst, new APIs and tools will help app developers bring more iOS apps over to the Mac operating system. Through these tools, you'll get stuff like resizable windows and keyboard tools, which will make them feel like Mac Apps, rather than iPhone apps.
Safari
Safari is the unsung hero of macOS, and some new improvements have made it even faster – now 50% faster than Chrome, according to Apple – along with even more privacy improvements.
Also, Safari will also keep an eye on your passwords, and will notify you in case of a data breach. There's also a privacy report button that will live right next to the address bar, and by clicking it, you can check everything that's tracking you.
- These are the best Macs and MacBooks of 2020
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