Apple has taken advantage of its big software day to present the new version of its Mac operating system: macOS Monterey. It was one of the big news we were waiting for in this WWDC 2021, an event that is once again held completely virtually and without public.
This new version of macOS comes with Monterey as the successor to Big Sur, the great renewal at the design level that we saw last year. The macOS operating system has arrived alongside WatchOS 8, iPadOS 15, and iOS 15, sharing with them a good part of the new features.
The new features of iOS 15, also in macOS Monterey
All the new features at the level of native iOS 15 applications reach macOS. This means that we now have spatial sound and Facetime isolation, as well as new links to create calls. SharePlay also arrives, a function to share music, video, and even the screen with other Apple devices using PiP mode.
These are the main new features in native apps, shared with the iPad and iPhone operating systems.
- Facetime: now isolates background sound to enhance the voice. It also allows using the M1 chip to create portrait mode in real-time. New view to see all call participants at the same size and links to make Facetime work on Android.
- SharePlay: this new feature allows users to share content from their applications with other Apple users. Developers can use the API to allow content to be shared with third-party apps.
- Shared with you: a new feature for all content shared via the Messages app to be included in a folder within the Photos app.
- AirPlay: now supported, so we can send iPhone and iPad content to the Mac.
- Photos: now able to detect text, so we can isolate phone numbers, addresses, links to web pages, etc.
One of the most relevant features of this new version is Universal Control: a new feature that allows users to manage their Mac and iPad by moving the cursor from one device to another. In the same way, you can use the Mac trackpad to control the iPad, thus having a shared multitasking experience between the devices.
If, for example, you have a Mac, a MacBook, and an iPad nearby, you can connect the cursor between the three devices, all with this universal cursor.
There are also new features in AirPlay. Now users can share content between iPhone and Mac, or between iPad and Mac. If, for example, you are playing music on the iPhone, you can send it via AirPlay to the Mac, so that it can serve as a speaker.
Another great new feature is the arrival of Mac Shortcuts, a feature that to date was only available on iOS and iPadOS. The macOS shortcuts are designed for this desktop system, working together with the automation application to create advanced commands.
These automatons are created with Automator, allowing users to create shortcuts as they wish, creating new commands in Automator and linking them to Shortcuts so that they can be executed quickly.
Improvements also come to the native browser: Safari. The tab menu has been redesigned to create new groups. The address bar is more compact and tries to give the right and relevant information. These small groups of tabs are synchronized with iPhone and iPad so that searches can be continued on other devices.
macOS Monterey: release date and supported devices
Regarding availability, these are the dates they have given, without specifying more. Over the coming months we will see the betas:
- Beta for developers: June 7th
- Public beta: end of June
- Final version: autumn
As for devices compatible with macOS Monterey, this is the official list given by Apple.
- iMac: from 2015 onwards
- iMac Pro: from 2017 onwards
- MacBook Air: from 2015 onwards
- MacBook Pro: from 2015 onwards
- Mac Pro: from 2013 onwards
- Mac mini: 2014 onwards
- MacBook: 2016 onwards
More Information:Â Apple
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