MacOS Sequoia: The Seven Major Updates Every Mac User Should Know

With the excitement around iOS 18, it's easy to overlook the significant updates coming with MacOS Sequoia. As someone who relies heavily on a Mac for both work and personal use, these new features have piqued my interest even more than those of iOS 18. Here are the seven major updates in MacOS Sequoia that you should be looking forward to:

1. Window Tiling: A Long-Awaited Feature

Apple has finally introduced window tiling to MacOS, a feature that Windows users have enjoyed for decades. For years, Mac users had to rely on third-party apps like Magnet to manage window snapping, but now it's built into the OS. However, there are a few caveats.

Firstly, not all apps scale properly to occupy exactly half of the display. For example, the Music and Apple TV apps often overlap when snapped to one side, preventing a perfect 50/50 split. Secondly, the shortcut keys for window management are not very intuitive. While Magnet uses simple commands like Control + Option and arrow keys, Apple's method involves FN + Control followed by additional control keys, which isn’t clearly explained in the settings. Fortunately, you can disable the default dragging method in the settings and use control keys for a more streamlined experience.

2. iPhone Continuity: Seamless Integration

One of the most exciting features of MacOS Sequoia is iPhone Continuity, which allows you to stream a live view of your iPhone to your Mac and even control it with your mouse and keyboard while the iPhone remains locked. This feature opens up numerous possibilities.

For example, if you manage social media, you can now download content on your Mac and post it directly to your iPhone from the same device, saving you time and effort. Need to check analytics for a promotion? You can do so on your Mac without switching between devices. Although this feature is listed as "coming later this year" and not available at the launch of iOS 18, it promises to be a game-changer for many users.

3. Enhanced Writing Tools: AI-Powered Assistance

MacOS Sequoia introduces AI-powered writing tools that require an M1 Mac or newer. These tools can summarize, rewrite, proofread, and correct your text across any writing application, whether it's Notes, Mail, Word, or even a web-based platform.

For someone who writes a lot, like myself, this is a massive improvement. While I currently use ChatGPT to help refine my scripts, Apple's built-in tools will make the process much faster and more integrated, eliminating the need to copy and paste text into separate apps.

4. Spotlight Search: A Smarter Way to Search

Spotlight Search is getting a significant upgrade in MacOS Sequoia, thanks to Apple’s intelligence. While Spotlight is already quite powerful, allowing you to search for passwords, photos, and more, the new version will be able to cross-reference information from multiple apps.

For instance, you can now find a photo of a friend wearing a specific jacket from August 2023 with ease. This makes Spotlight an even more indispensable tool for Mac users.

5. Background Replacements: Customizable Video Calls

For those who frequently use video calls, MacOS Sequoia introduces custom background replacements for FaceTime, which can range from solid colors to landscapes to even custom photos. The best part is that this feature isn’t restricted to FaceTime—any app that uses your camera can take advantage of the new backgrounds.

This feature is perfect for professional calls where you want to make your background look more presentable, even if the app you’re using doesn’t natively support background changes.

6. Safari Reader: A Better Reading Experience

Safari Reader has been a staple feature for years, but MacOS Sequoia takes it to the next level. The reader button is now more noticeable, and you can change the page and font colors to suit your preferences. More importantly, you can configure the reader to automatically enable on specific websites, providing a cleaner reading experience every time you visit them.

While this feature is fantastic for users, it raises concerns about the impact on ad revenue for content creators and websites. The ability to permanently disable ads with a click could significantly affect the monetization of online content.

7. Gaming on Mac: A Growing Focus

Apple continues to embrace gaming on the Mac, with MacOS Sequoia offering even better support for AAA titles thanks to Apple Silicon and the new game porting toolkit. Games like "No Man’s Sky," "Baldur’s Gate 3," "Resident Evil Village," and "Assassin’s Creed: Shadows" are now available on the Mac, with the latter launching on day one.

The game porting toolkit 2 offers improved compatibility with Windows games, allowing developers to port their titles to Mac faster. This means that Mac users can expect even more AAA titles to become available soon, making the Mac a more viable gaming platform.

Conclusion

MacOS Sequoia is packed with features designed to make your Mac experience more efficient and enjoyable. From long-awaited window tiling to smarter Spotlight search, customizable video call backgrounds, and enhanced gaming capabilities, there's something for everyone. While there are still some kinks to iron out, especially with the window tiling and potential impacts on ad revenue, these updates are sure to enhance productivity and entertainment on the Mac. Whether you're a creative professional, a gamer, or someone who simply wants a more seamless integration between your Mac and iPhone, MacOS Sequoia has something to offer.

This article is based on factual information available on third-party websites, which has been carefully confirmed and verified during the research process. It is recommended to check any required information. I do not hold any rights over the used image; it is sourced from USA Today via Google Images.