During WWDC 2023, Apple presented the outline of macOS 14 Sonoma, the new version of its operating system for Mac. A more user-friendly edition, which is even closer to iOS.
Sonoma, what a funny name. It’s simply that of a wine town in Northern California, Silicon Valley, famous for its wine. In any case, it will now also be associated with macOS 14, Apple’s operating system dedicated to its computers (Mac mini, iMac, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Studio and Mac Pro). Even if it could sometimes be confused with iOS (for iPhone) and iPadOS (for iPad) as the systems tend to look more and more alike. An inspiration which is not devoid of foundation since the coherence between all the systems is only reinforced. New users with a Mac and equipping themselves with an iPhone or an iPad and vice versa, can thus find their bearings very quickly.
macOS 14 therefore takes a step closer to iOS and iPadOS. Both mobile systems give pride of place to widgets, these elements that you can arrange on the screen to take advantage of always up-to-date information or control applications without having to open them (read our article on iOS and iPadOS 17). It’s a comeback since these small modules were already present in the Dashboard in macOS until version 10.14.6 (Mojave) released in 2019. Disappeared since from the system, they return this time in a more “free” version and more dynamic, as seen on iOS and iPadOS. You can thus place them directly on the Desktop and even resize them, while their opacity automatically adapts to the wallpaper. In addition, Apple’s APIs are open to developers so that everyone can design a widget for their application.
macOS 14 Sonoma: animated screensavers
Those with an Apple TV box will immediately see the resemblance between the new screen savers offered by macOS Sonoma and that of Apple’s media gateway. macOS 14 will thus have animated screensavers presenting high definition landscapes whose color tones vary according to the time. The macOS wallpaper can also be animated.
macOS 14 Sonoma: Safari revisited
The Safari home web browser also benefits from an update. The version provided in macOS 14 will allow user profiles to be defined (work, personal, children, etc.). A welcome option, which will separate the recording of cookies and browsing history, so as not to mix everything up. Moreover, like what Chrome or Edge offers, Safari will allow you to create webapps, ie transform a website into a stand-alone application in order to keep it a click away at all times. It will be possible to store these webapps in the Dock and receive the notifications that the website from which they originate may issue. An original and practical function that is likely to appeal to those who use online services.
macOS 14 Sonoma: optimizations for video games
The new macOS is not content with cosmetic changes. Apple Silicon chips having proven their excellent performance, the OS had to be able to get the best out of them, especially in demanding situations, especially with video games. And if the Mac has never really shone in this field (with a rather limited game catalog compared to the PC world), the situation could change with Game Mode. Several tools will thus make it possible to give priority to certain tasks exploiting the processor and the graphics circuit as soon as a game is launched. What seriously boost performance by improving both fluidity in the display (the number of frames per second) and responsiveness (latency). Whether these optimizations will be enough to attract publishers and gamers remains to be seen.
macOS 14 Sonoma: more user-friendly videoconferencing
Do you find video conferences boring? A new feature in macOS 14 is going to make them a bit more appealing. During a discussion through Face Time (but also with Zoom, Teams or Webex for the moment), the image captured by the webcam of your Mac will no longer be confined to a small box. You can embed it directly on the Mac Desktop with clipping, or even make it appear in a medallion when you share your screen with your interlocutors. Several animations and video effects are also on the program.
macOS 14 Sonoma: the list of compatible Macs
Apple has once again narrowed the air on Macs capable of upgrading to the new system, which fortunately will not be reserved only for models equipped with in-house chips (M1 and M2 in their various versions), but also compatible with models relatively recent Intel processors. Here is the official list of Macs compatible with macOS 14 Sonoma:
- Mac mini (2018 and later models)
- iMac (2019 and later models)
- MacBook Air (2018 and later models)
- MacBook Pro (2018 and later models)
- iMac Pro (2017 and later models)
- Mac Pro (2019 and later models)
- Mac Studio (2022 and later models)
macOS 14 Sonoma: a release in the fall of 2023?
Apple promised it: macOS 14 will be available in beta for developers in the coming days. And a public beta version, therefore accessible to all, should point the end of its menus in the coming weeks. As for the final version, it should be available later in the year without further details. But we can reasonably expect it to arrive in the fall, in October or November, as has been the case for previous versions of Apple’s system. It is not yet known if the launch will be entitled to a special event, with keynote, but it seems unlikely. unless Apple takes the opportunity to unveil new Macs equipped, for example, with the famous M3 chip that many are waiting for…