gaming is in the spotlight
Apple unveiled the next version of its operating system, macOS Sonoma, at its annual WWDC. At the heart of this new version, a marked rapprochement with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, and an emphasis on the gaming experience, eagerly awaited by Mac users.
Apple, during its annual WWDC, has just announced the next version of macOS, soberly named macOS Sonoma. This announcement is quite typical for the WWDC conference. macOS Sonoma takes several innovations from iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but goes beyond, giving Mac users an even richer and more integrated experience, especially for those who were hoping for more gaming.
Widgets break free
The widgets have also been reworked. No longer limited to the notification center, they evoke what has been done before on iOS and iPadOS. With Wi-Fi connectivity, you’ll even be able to get the iOS and iPadOS widgets from macOS Sonoma, as long as the iPhone is on or near the same Wi-Fi network. The ability to add your car’s app widget, even if only available on your iPhone, to your Mac is a significant step forward in terms of continuity and interconnectivity.
This redesign of the widgets will remind those most nostalgic of the days of Windows 8. When opening an application, the widgets blend in an aesthetically pleasing way with the wallpaper, colored and animated according to the latter.
One notable change is the arrival of tvOS screen savers on the Mac. The beautiful visuals of Apple TV are now at your fingertips, with beautiful 4K video shot from a drone.
macOS Sonoma boosts gaming
The other great novelty is the introduction of the Game Mode. This feature prioritizes games on the CPU and GPU, increasing their performance. The only fear could be the impact on autonomy, but Apple Silicon chips are known for their endurance, even in intensive use. Apple hasn’t neglected audio and gaming peripherals, either. Audio latency on Airpods has been drastically reduced, and the Bluetooth sample rate on Xbox and PlayStation controllers has been doubled, reducing latency.
In addition to these user-focused enhancements, Apple has also introduced the Game Porting Toolkit for Metal, thus making it easier for developers to evaluate the performance of their games on Mac.
To top it off, Hideo Kojima took to the stage to announce that Death Stranding Director’s Cut would be available on Mac. A news which, in itself, testifies to the renewed ambition of Apple for the game on Mac.
macOS Sonoma now lets you add video effects, like confetti, during calls on some of the most popular video conferencing apps. These video effects are easy to add and can be used anytime, always top menu bar.
Safety as always
One of the most notable security updates is the improved private browsing mode. Now it locks your windows, blocks known trackers, and removes URL trackers. This enhanced functionality helps ensure a more private and secure browsing experience.
In addition, Apple has added a long-awaited feature: the sharing of passwords and passkeys. iCloud Keychain has been enhanced to allow sharing passwords and passcodes with a group. Sharing is done through iCloud Keychain, ensuring end-to-end security through encryption. This new feature greatly facilitates the management of secure access within a group, whether it is a family, a work team or a group of friends.
Apple hasn’t ignored the evolution of the web either. With macOS Sonoma, web apps now behave like real apps in the Dock. Apple appears to be declaring the end of the Electron era, providing a more integrated and smoother experience for users.
Hopefully Chrome will follow suit, as this innovation makes it easy to turn a website into an app, without requiring complex technical tweaks.
Profiles on Safari
Apple also announced a handy Safari browsing feature in macOS Sonoma. Introducing the concept of profiles, this feature offers users the ability to separate their browsing sessions, allowing for more flexible and secure use of the browser.
This feature offers a convenient solution for those who wish to use the same site with different accounts. Whether it’s for personal and professional use, or for managing multiple accounts on a single social media platform, Safari’s profiles make this task easier by keeping each session’s data separate.
Each profile maintains its own history, cookies, and other session data. This means that moving from one profile to another is equivalent to entering a new browsing space, specific to each session. This not only promotes privacy and security, but also efficiency and organization, allowing users to better manage their various online activities.
True to form, Apple plans to roll out macOS Sonoma in the fall, with a beta test phase lasting several weeks before. This new version of the operating system will be available on all compatible devices, including the all-new 15-inch MacBook Air M2, also announced at WWDC 2023. This laptop, which promises increased performance and an even more immersive user experience , will therefore be one of the first to benefit from the innovations brought by macOS Sonoma.
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