Apple officially unveiled the latest version of its desktop operating system at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) today.
MacOS Ventura or macOS 13, will pack a variety of new features into desktops and laptops when it is released later this year.
List of all the models that will be able to run the new OS
The new OS is offered as a free update on older devices in the Apple ecosystem. This includes the following device variants for the new macOS 13:
- MacBook: 2017 and later
- MacBook Air: 2018 and later
- MacBook Pro: 2017 and later
- Mac Mini: 2018 and later
- iMac: 2017 and later
- iMac Pro: 2017 and later
- Mac Pro: 2019 and later
The all-new Stage Manager
Apple’s new Stage Manager feature automatically organizes all your open windows and apps on the left side of your screen.
Stage Manager keeps your current working window in the center of the screen, helps you group and rearrange windows within your workspace and switch between windows whenever you need to, for a streamlined.
Continuity Camera
The iPhone has one of the best cameras on a portable device, without any doubt. The same cannot be said for the MacBooks front cameras, especially during video calls.
A new feature called Continuity Camera will now automatically recognize your iPhone camera whenever it’s near your M1 or M2 chip Macbook. So you can access newer features such as Portrait Mode and Center Stage on your MacBook. Apple will also retail a camera mount that snaps onto your iPhone so camera can be easily positioned on your MacBook’s display.
With the Studio Light feature, the camera will also brighten your face while dimming the background, to bring it more into focus.
Desk View will show your face and an overhead video of your desk at the same time, by utilizing the wide field of view of the ultrawide lens on the iPhone to create two separate views.
Delete Messages Upto 15 minutes
With macOS Ventura, you can now edit or delete messages up to 15 minutes after sending them. You will also be able to recover deleted texts for up to 30 days. One can also mark a message as unread, even after having read them if one suffers from anxiety in replying to texts immediately.
The native Mail app in macOS is getting some usability enhancements that bring it up to par with Gmail.
Passwords and Security
Apple wants to do away with traditional password protection and is teaming up with the FIDO Alliance to create a secure password sign-in system called Passkeys that will roll out this year.
Passkeys are stored only on your device and never on a web server, saving you from phishing attacks.
With Passkeys, you’ll be prompted on your Mac’s screen to pick up your iPhone or iPad and use either Touch ID or Face ID to verify your identity, rather than type in a password.
Your Passkeys will sync across all your iCloud-enabled devices, including iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, in addition to Mac (with end-to-end encryption). On non-Apple devices, you’ll have to sign in using your iPhone.
Similar functionality should be coming to Windows and Android as well, as both Google and Microsoft are also partnering with FIDO.
FaceTime Switching
Whenever you want to switch to another device while FaceTiming, you have to restart the app. The new Handoff feature in Ventura OS allows you to simply transfer the call to another machine.
So, if you’re on a FaceTime call on your iPhone, your Mac will recognize that you’re nearby and show a prompt asking if you want hand over the call to your Mac. You can do so with one click. It works the other way too, which makes it a handy feature.
Common Charge Under EU Agreement?
In related news, all smartphones and tablets would have to use a common charger under a provisional European Union agreement, which might cause Apple a bit of chagrin. The new rules would force all companies including Apple to make phones, tablets, e-readers and digital cameras to use the USB-C charger.
Apple was of the opinion that this would reduce innovation. The company is currently however testing replacing the current Lightning charging port with the more prevalent USB-C connector.
The latest Macbooks are currently using the USB-C charger.
The European Parliament and 27 EU countries need to sign off on the agreement.
The plan, unveiled last year, was provisionally approved Tuesday and will save consumers an estimated 250 million euros ($267 million) each year according to the European Commission.
Phones and tablet makers will have to comply by the fall of 2024, once the agreement goes into effect.
Laptops will have more time to make the switch, with manufacturers being given 40 months, after the new rules go into effect.
‘A common charger is common sense for the many electronic devices on our daily lives,’ Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said in a statement.
‘European consumers will be able to use a single charger for all their portable electronics — an important step to increase convenience and reduce waste.’
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