With Microsoft's Windows 10 heating up the PC market, Apple is bringing a free upgrade of its own with the launch of macOS Sierra, jam-packed with new features and improvements.
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OS X 10.12 was officially revealed and renamed macOS Sierra at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). As expected, Sierra does much more than just provide bug fixes and performance updates, as we saw with the move from10.10 Yosemite to 10.11 El Capitan.
So what's in store for Mac users? Follow along and we'll tell you exactly what you can expect from the next version of OS X – we mean macOS.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The next version of Apple's desktop operating system
- When is it out? Fall 2016
- What will it cost? Like the previous several versions, it will be a free update
macOS Sierra release date
Apple has gotten into a cycle when it comes to releasing new operating systems. Per the usual, macOS Sierra was demoed and debuted in June during WWDC with a private beta simultaneously issued to developers.
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A public beta, released on July 7, 2016, brought Siri, picture-in-picture mode and more to a broad audience of Mac users for the first time in Apple history. Of course, you won't be able to use the new Continuity features like Universal Clipboard until iOS 10 drops and Apple Pay isn't exactly ready for the limelight, but a sneak preview never hurts.
Siri finally makes an appearance
The biggest new feature slated for macOS Sierra is the inclusion of the Siri virtual personal assistant. Siri was launched on iOS back in 2011, and Macs are surprisingly the last platform Apple decided to bring it to.
Just as with using the virtual assistant on iPhones, users will be able to simply command Siri and ask it questions with their voice. However, being on the Mac opens up a greater swath of options such as searching for files.
At WWDC, SVP of software engineering Craig Federighi showed audiences how Siri could prove beneficial on Mac while remaining distinct from other Apple platforms. The personal assistant software can respond to complex requests such as, "Show the files I worked on last week about the off-site." From there, users can narrow down their search based on tags.
Siri can even access other parts of macOS including applications like iTunes, effectively making her your personal DJ. Moreover, the AI is compatible with Safari as well, allowing it to act on web searches.
And, with Apple having issued as SDK for developers to make their own apps work with Siri, it will be interesting to see where that goes. Maybe we'll see the day when Siri can access your Spotify library, upload files to Google Drive or help you organize spreadsheets in Excel.
A long overdue file system upgrade
Since 1985, Apple has remained complacent with its Hierarchal File System, or HFS. With macOS, however, that all changes thanks to the new APFS, or simply Apple File System. Starting with the company's 2017 MacBook lineup, all of Apple's computers will support the new filesystem on its bootup drive. And, although we'll be able to try it out for ourselves when the macOS Sierra public beta lands, developers in the preview right now are saying the new filesystem is limited to transferring files back and forth on a non-startup drive.
Once Apple's hardware begins to support the new standard, it won't be long before we start to reap the benefits. These include improved flash memory optimization, faster Time Machine backups and improved space allocation letting two APFS-formatted disks act as one combined storage drive. Unfortunately, for legacy Mac users this means HFS support will be ousted in the next 25 years, though it would be a miracle if your computer could still boot up by then.
Continuity gets even better
Continuity between Mac and iOS is a big deal for those engulfed in Apple's hardy ecosystem. Ever since its introduction, users have been able to pick up calls and text conversations from their phones and conveniently pull them up on their Mac computers.
With macOS Sierra, not only will you be able to access your computer from outside devices including your iPhone, but if you need to quickly move something from one device to another, this is made even easier than AirDrop thanks to the Universal Clipboard function. Apple claims it to be as seamless as Command-C, Command-V.
And, while TouchID isn't coming to Mac anytime soon, Auto Unlock is. As the title implies, this new feature will let you unlock your Mac from other Apple devices merely by being in close proximity to an Apple Watch or iOS device.
What's more, Apple Pay has expanded beyond the restraints of a 4.7-inch screen and onto PCs by way of macOS. Making an effort to compete with ecommerce services like PayPal, a "Pay with Apple Pay" button will soon be integrated in your browser with TouchID on a nearby iPhone or iPad serving as a means of quick authentication.
Better photo and video functionality
Finally we have the Photos app getting an overhaul in iOS 10, and because of the way Continuity works, the incoming features also apply to Mac. These include a new "Memories" tab for a more magazine-like viewing mode as well as an AI that automatically sorts photos either by people or topics.
Likewise, if you're a skilled multi-tasker interested in watching videos while you work, you'll be delighted to know that macOS Sierra's picture-in-picture mode allows users to take their video windows with them even as they rotate between desktop screens.
