macOS Sequoia is all about Apple bringing artificial intelligence to its desktop operating system, kind of like Microsoft is doing with Copilot and Copilot+. Unfortunately, all of those features in the Apple Intelligence suite won’t be available until this fall, when they arrive in beta. Where does that leave macOS Sequoia in the first developer beta? It’s undoubtedly a small update as-is, although it packs two crucial quality-of-life updates that longtime Mac users have been waiting a while for.
For years, I’ve recommended anyone using the best Macs install a third-party tool to replicate Windows 11’s Snap tool. Window management on macOS has been bad for a long time, and even though you could fix it by installing an app like Rectangle or BetterSnapTool, you shouldn’t have to. Window snapping should be a built-in feature for any desktop OS in 2024, and with macOS Sequoia, it is. After running this initial developer beta for two days, it’s clear it isn’t a flashy one — at least for now. Sometimes, it’s just nice to know Apple is listening to what Mac users really want.
macOS Sequoia: A new Siri, window snapping, and everything else you need to know
With Apple Intelligence in tow, macOS Sequoia is looking to be a solid upgrade for Mac users. Let’s break it down.
More so than iOS 18 or iPadOS 18, the macOS Sequoia update will end up being judged on Apple Intelligence. Without it, this initial developer beta is extremely minor and barely different from macOS Sonoma, even if it includes a highly-requested feature.
What I like
I’ve been waiting for macOS to get window snapping for years
Apple wouldn’t dare copy Windows, so the macOS Sequoia window management feature is called window tiling and not window snapping. Whatever the company calls it, window snapping in macOS Sequoia works like Snap and all the other Mac apps that offered the feature in the past. When you drag an app to the top, bottom, sides, or corners of the screen, macOS windows will automatically resize. It worked well enough on day one that I had to manually check to make sure that my third-party window management tool was actually disabled. It was, and there’s little reason to have one of those on macOS Sequoia anymore. It’s about time.
There is one weird thing about window snapping on macOS Sequoia. By default, the operating system will leave a fairly large gap between windows when they are automatically tiled. This looks really strange, and isn’t what users expect when window snapping. Luckily, fixing this is as easy as un-ticking a checkbox in System Settings. Simply disable the option to leave a margin between windows, and you’re all set to snap windows as expected.
macOS is still the best OS for video conferencing
macOS Sonoma was already a fantastic OS for video conferencing, but Sequoia takes that to the next level. Have you ever seen a classmate or colleague share something they probably shouldn’t have when trying to share their screen? I certainly have, and macOS Sequoia wants to make this firsthand and secondhand embarrassment a thing of the past. Now, when you go to share your screen on any video calling app or website, you’ll clearly see a preview of what will be shared before others do. It’s very obvious whether you’re going to share a specific window or your entire screen, and you need to manually confirm your choice in the top right corner of macOS. This is an underrated addition that’ll help a lot of people out while video calling.
4 reasons macOS Sonoma is the best OS for video calls
Video conference calls have become ubiquitous in 2024, and there’s no OS better at them than macOS Sonoma.
Apple Passwords is an excellent built-in password manager
macOS Sequoia developer beta 1 is such a small update that the only other thing of note is the standalone Apple Passwords app. It won’t replace a great password manager for everyone, but it’s great for people who use Apple products primarily. It’s not really trying to compete with dedicated password managers, either. This app is just a better way of seeing passwords that were already stored in the iCloud Password Keychain, and it’s a welcomed addition to Sequoia.
What I don’t like
Everything truly exciting about macOS Sequoia isn’t here yet
Source: Apple
There’s nothing inherently wrong with macOS Sequoia, although I’ve noticed a few third-party apps don’t work as expected in the first developer beta. The bigger bummer is that everything worth getting excited about isn’t available as of now, and may not come for some time. Apple Intelligence is the flashy new feature set that will improve things throughout macOS Sequoia, and I’m most intrigued to see the new Siri in action. It has a real shot at replacing Spotlight search, a feature that has been unmatched for nearly a decade.
iPhone Mirroring appears as a hidden file in macOS Sequoia.
Other cool features include iPhone Mirroring, which will let you control your iPhone from your Mac. Interestingly, features like iPhone Mirroring and Generative Playground are actually present in macOS Sequoia developer beta 1. You can see them as hidden files in the Applications folder — they just don’t do anything as of now.
Apple Intelligence will make or break macOS Sequoia
Without it, this is a very minor update for the Mac
Source: Apple
Right now, macOS Sequoia feels like macOS Sonoma with better window snapping. For Mac users that have suffered with subpar window management features for years, it really can’t be understated how big of a quality-of-life improvement that is. Still, the thing that’s going to determine whether this is a relatively minor macOS update or a groundbreaking one is Apple Intelligence. The only thing left to do now is wait and see what Apple has in store. Without Apple Intelligence, there is zero reason to install the macOS Sequoia developer beta on your daily driver.
How to install the macOS Sequoia developer beta on your Mac
You’re just a few steps away from an upgraded Mac experience
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source: https://www.xda-developers.com/macos-sequoia-hands-on/
