macOS Sonoma has been out for many months now, and that’s why we’re starting to turn our focus to the next version of macOS. Apple typically reveals its upcoming operating systems at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference, which is historically held in June of each year. That means our first look at macOS 15, which is known internally by the codename “Glow,” is just a few months away. We already know a few things about Apple’s plans for macOS 15, like how the operating system is expected to debut with some new artificial intelligence features. Here’s everything we know so far, and what we’d like to see Apple bring to the best Macs with the next version of macOS.
macOS Sonoma review: The most polished Mac experience yet
The latest macOS update introduces handy new features, along with some visual changes.
What we know about macOS 15 so far
Leaks surrounding macOS 15’s new set of features have been scarce, and that may be due to Apple shifting its focus. Bloomberg reported last fall that the company was pausing development for about a week in order to fix bugs with currently-available software. While this likely won’t impact macOS 15’s release, it does signal a shift toward overall stability over new features. So, it’s possible that Apple will use macOS 15 to refine current macOS Sonoma features rather than introduce brand-new ones.
However, it’s almost certain that Apple plans to add artificial intelligence to certain parts of the operating system. macOS 15, much like iOS 18, is slated to get AI-based features that will increase overall productivity. The iWork suite, which encompasses Pages, Keynote, and Numbers, could get features like autofill and auto-summary that use generative AI. Similarly, Apple could bake AI into Xcode, which would then help developers with coding-related tasks. These are features that Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI have already started to ship through their respective services, so it makes sense that Apple would try to follow suit.
iOS 18: 8 features we want to see in 2024’s iPhone update
Our iOS wishlist continues to shrink every year
There may be unreported features that will debut with macOS 15 that are significant. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has described Apple’s upcoming operating system as “ambitious and compelling, with major new features and designs, in addition to security and performance improvements.” This doesn’t tell us anything in terms of specifics, but it gives us an idea of what to expect when macOS 15 rolls around.
7 A new macOS naming scheme
It’s a small change that would sync up iOS, iPadOS, and macOS
With every annual wave of Apple OS updates, the company introduces new features that work across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. While the new additions mostly match, the OS version numbers don’t. Right now, iOS and iPadOS are at 17, while macOS is still at 14. By going for iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 18 in 2024, the company could get closer to a streamlined Apple OS that powers all of its devices. There is precedent for Apple skipping numbers when it deems it to be necessary. It released the iPhone 8 and iPhone X series at the same time, skipping the iPhone 9 moniker entirely.
iPadOS 18: 8 features we want to see in 2024’s iPad update
The first official iPadOS 18 preview is just a few months away!
Then again, watchOS has a numerical scheme that is very far off from that of iOS and iPadOS. It’s certainly not necessary for Apple to skip a few numbers to sync up iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. However, it would make some sense considering Apple finally moved on from Mac OS X (and macOS 10.x) a few years ago.
macOS should catch up with iOS and iPadOS
With macOS Sonoma, Apple started allowing users to place widgets on the desktop. While this is a welcome change that some macOS users rely on daily, the feature is half-baked. Unlike on iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, users on macOS Sonoma still can’t utilize widget stacks, which allow you to place several widgets on top of each other and shuffle through them as needed. Apple should bring this functionality to macOS 15 as well, allowing users to streamline their widget setups across devices and free up macOS desktop space.
macOS widgets: What are they and how to use them
Macs running macOS Big Sur and later versions include some neat widgets. Let’s find out how to use them and what they are actually capable of.
5 Health, Fitness, and Translation apps
It’s time to streamline the built-in apps across the different devices
With iPadOS 17, Apple finally brought the Health app to the iPad, allowing users to view their health and fitness data on the large screen. However, not everybody uses an iPad, and we’d love to see a dedicated Health app on Mac. Considering that M-powered Macs can run iOS apps natively, it shouldn’t require Apple a lot of effort to port the iPadOS version of this app to macOS. Similarly, the Fitness app is still unavailable on macOS, making it tough for those who use a Mac as their large screen to work out comfortably. While users could rely on AirPlay to mirror the workout videos from iOS to macOS, the execution is a tad wonky, and it doesn’t always display the workout metrics on the screen. The Translation app is missing as well, and all three would be welcome additions to macOS 15.
Complete guide to the Fitness app on iOS
The Fitness app is an essential hub into a world of activity from iPhone and Apple Watch. Here’s a complete guide to this iOS application.
4 iCloud device backup
A hassle-free data storage solution
With iCloud+ now allowing users to have as much as 14TB of cloud storage, it’s time for macOS to support iCloud device backups. Right now, users can rely on Time Machine to create local backups of their systems, but there’s still no way to back up the entire computer to the cloud the way iPhones and iPads do. Having this option on macOS 15 would simplify users’ lives and go further towards streamlining more of Apple’s services.
iCloud+: What’s this Apple service, and is it worth paying for?
iCloud+ is an Apple subscription service that offers you extra cloud storage, along with other neat perks. Is it worth your money, though?
3 iOS notification mirroring
Apple’s tight ecosystem is missing this highly requested feature
macOS Sonoma supports iOS widgets on the Mac, enabling users to glance at timely information on their computers when their iPhones are nearby. In macOS 15, we want Apple to take this integration a step further by bringing iOS notification support to the Mac. An Apple Watch Series 9 is capable of showing the notifications received on a paired iPhone 15 Pro Max, and watchOS 10 allows users to reply to these notifications. That’s true even if their respective apps aren’t available on the smartwatch itself. There’s nothing stopping Apple from porting this functionality to the Mac, making it easier to interact with iPhone notifications on the big screen as we work.
18:04
iPhone 15 Pro Max review: Apple is slowly winning over this Android diehard
The iPhone 15 Pro Max may not look much different from the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but it brings much improved cameras and ergonomics
2 Fix the System Settings app
It’s basically a carbon-copy of the iOS app, and that isn’t good enough
It’s no secret that Apple has made macOS appear more like iOS and iPadOS in recent versions, and that isn’t always a bad thing. However, Apple’s redesign of the System Settings app is clearly a miss. It makes it harder for users to find the settings they typically need on a computer. For example, the list of settings pages has display controls at 17th and keyboard settings at 29th from the top. Plus, toggles that are more important to mobile users than desktop users — such as Screen Time, Focus, and Notifications — are higher on the list. We’re not asking for Apple to go back to System Preferences, but it should rearrange the items in System Settings to make it more thoughtful for macOS users.
Apple’s planned macOS redesign could be a disaster if it becomes more like iOS
Apple is rumored to be redesigning iOS this year and macOS next year. That might not be as good as it sounds.
1 Integration with Apple Vision Pro
Dual Mac virtual displays are a highly-requested feature among Vision Pro users
Finally, with the release of Apple Vision Pro, we’re hoping that Apple adds some features to macOS 15 that make using the VR headset with Mac computers a seamless experience. For starters, dual or triple-monitor support for Mac virtual displays in Apple Vision Pro would be a game-changer. This isn’t too far-fetched, either. According to Apple analyst Ben Thompson, Apple engineers are able to use dual Mac virtual displays at the company’s California headquarters. Additionally, some third-party apps have mimicked this kind of functionality already, and it isn’t that bad. Put simply, to maximize the value of Vision Pro, we need more integration with Macs available on macOS 15.
1:38
Apple Vision Pro review: It’s a half-baked glimpse of the future
Spatial computing might be the future, but Apple Vision Pro is more of a proof-of-concept in its current state than a product people should buy.
When will macOS 15 be released, and on which devices will it be available?
We expect macOS 15 to be previewed at WWDC 2024, which will likely occur in one of the first weeks in June. A developer beta version of macOS 15 should be available shortly after that conference, with a public beta following about a month later. Then, macOS 15 will debut publicly sometime in Fall 2024, probably sometime near the release of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. However, we’ll have to wait a bit longer for concrete details about what Mac computers will support macOS 15.
#macOS
source: https://www.xda-developers.com/macos-15/
