Apple intros macOS Monterey

Apple has introduced new ways to connect with friends and family, work smarter across devices through the macOS Monterey.

macOS Monterey

Powerful features to connect, work and stay focused

Apple has introduced in their latest OS is the "SharePlay". It allows you to share content when using FaceTime, such as music, movies, TV shows, projects, and more. You can also share your screen with others, which is helpful in productivity and troubleshooting. The company also made an API available for app developers to be able to integrate their apps using FaceTime.

Many of the new capabilities introduced in iOS and iPadOS 15 are also included in macOS Monterey. This includes all of FaceTime's new features, such as spatial audio, which allows you to hear the people you're chatting to regardless of where they are on the screen. Wide Spectrum will allow all ambient noise to come through, whereas Voice Isolation will allow you to eliminate background noise.

FaceTime

There's also a major update in "Safari" where it got a revamped design, this brings a gorgeous streamlined tab bar that incorporates the address and search box into the active tab, as well as tab groups to organize frequently opened tabs into custom groups. The new UI colors of the browser can now be adjusted to fit the current webpage design.

Safari

A feature called "Shortcuts" has arrived on the new OS as well which allows the user to automate common daily tasks, and helps to achieve peak productivity. You can also customize your own interface with the pre-built actions designed for Mac. Users will be able to share files, create animated GIFs, and more. 

New features in "Notes" help you to stay organized, collaborate, and create notes from anywhere. Quick Note is a new way for users to jot down notes on any app or website systemwide. You can also create context by adding links from an app to their Quick Note, such as a webpage in Safari or a location in Maps. You can add mentions, see everyone's updates in the new Activity View, and organize their Notes with tags to find them quickly and easily in the new Tag browser and in tag-based Smart Folders.

Through Focus, Mac users will be able to stay in the moment, it allows them to filter out notifications unrelated to their current activity. They can signal their status to let others know when they're on focus mode and not available. If the user sets Focus in one device, it automatically synchronizes across other devices owned and be customized based on their current activity.

Another major feature you'd find is "Universal Control". This lets you control your iPad with the keyboard and mouse/trackpad of their Mac. What's nice is that it doesn't need to set up, just place your iPad beside your Mac and it will instantly allow controlling mouse across all of your Mac and iPad, there's also a drag and drop feature for your documents between them.

Mac desktops also get AirPlay, which allows you to AirPlay audio and video from your iPhone or iPad to your Mac. The Mac's Hi-Fi sound system can also work as an AirPlay speaker when using this feature.

AirPlay

Additional New Features of macOS Monterey:

Users may enjoy new methods to navigate and explore the earth on the Mac's huge, stunning display with the new interactive globe in Maps and an outstanding, immersive and detailed city experience.

Live Text uses machine learning to detect text in photos, phone numbers, websites, addresses, and tracking numbers. This lets you copy and paste, make a phone call, open a website, and easily find more information.

iCloud+ combines everything from iCloud with additional premium features like "Hide My Email, expanded HomeKit Secure Video support, and the new internet privacy service known as iCloud Private Relay, at no additional cost"

AirPods Pro and AirPods will deliver a movie-like experience through the spatial audio on Macs with the M1 chip.

Privacy features like Mail Privacy Protection let users choose whether emails can collect information about their Mail activity, and the Mac recording indicator now shows which app is using the desktop's microphone.

New accessibility features with improved Full Keyboard Access and new cursor customization options that allow greater versatility when navigating Mac.

According to Apple, starting today the macOS Monterey beta is available to Apple Developer Program members at developer.apple.com. While the public beta will be available to Mac users next month at beta.apple.com. The new OS is free this fall via a software update.

Source: Apple