finally, a useful update ft. macOS Ventura and iPadOS

Hello there,

Umm, an issue on a Saturday, surprising right? Well, yes, I am working on getting rid of the backlog of blogs that I have had. So here I am. I didn’t publish an issue last Sunday, so here it is! As I mentioned in my previous issue i-OH-YES 16, I am going to be writing a series of blogs on WWDC and this issue is all about the new macOS and the iPadOS.

Let’s start with the most prominent thing, macOS Ventura. Every year, Reddit users from all around the world place guesses on what the next macOS is going to be called. Every single year it is based on iconic scenery. To be honest, I really thought we were going to get macOS Mammoth, but we got Ventura. And to be honest. I like the name. Since we have a lot to cover, I will simply just dive into the important stuff. Most of the things implemented in iOS 16 have found themselves in the macOS and iPadOS updates too, so I am just going to mention most of them briefly and talk about the significant changes. Ventura absorbed a lot of features from the iPhone, such as an improved Mail app with improvements such as Send Later, Follow up and a better Search Tool. Along with this, features such as the iCloud photo sharing have also been added. The biggest visual change that has been implemented is the completely redesigned System Preferences app. Well, now it is called System Settings. Instead of the dated look, Apple has tried something new, and this is exactly how it looks.

Apple also finally introduced a Weather and a Clock app for the Mac. They are essentially the same, but broader in terms of the aspect ratio.

FaceTime also got a couple of recent additions. The first interesting and magical thing is the Continuity Camera and FaceTime Handoff. Let’s start with Continuity Camera. Continuity Camera allows you to use your iPhone as your webcam for meetings, even with third-party applications such as Zoom! The best part is that the entire process is wireless and barely has latency, no extra software is needed too! All you have to do is bring your iPhone close to the Mac and enable the option, that’s all! It works like a charm. Apple will introduce phone stands that mount to your MacBook screen to hold your phone as a webcam this fall, so by the end of this year, this feature would be fully functional. I mean, this is honestly so useful. When you use a continuity camera, you also get this additional feature called the desk view. Huh, confused? Desk view is probably the most innovative thing in this update. Once you have mounted your phone on your Mac and employed continuity camera, the video call will be able to use your second lens (ultra-wide angle lens) and showcase what is shopping on your desk without moving your iPhone, or webcam or Mac! With continuity camera, Center Stage now comes to Mac! Learn more about what Center Stage is here.

Safari also got some sweet updates! First things first, Passkeys. Apple has been working with organisations such as Google and Microsoft to create a password-less future. Apple’s new passkeys feature will allow users to use their biometrics such as FaceID and fingerprints to be the password. Essentially, this is a method of cryptography that allows this, but again, the specifics are just too bizarre for either one of us to understand. In simple terms, if you create an account on, for example, Instagram, you can use your fingerprint as your password! Plus, they are supporting this feature across devices from different companies and not just Apple. This is something I am really looking forward to. Along with this, Safari also got Shared Tab Groups. You can essentially create a group of tabs and share them with friends or family instead of sharing many links at once. This can be useful in many situations. A common example would be at home and school. The other day I was sending my dad some artwork for the living room and instead of sending him links, I could share the entire group with no hassle!

With this new update, Apple has also made some changes to Game Centre and the gaming experience on macOS. You can now use SharePlay to play games with your friends. In a layperson’s terms, you can video call friends and share your screen and play the same game with them together! The Game Centre dashboard also got a long-due overhaul. The new version of Apple silicon chips also allows Apple to enhance the gaming experience on the Mac so you get better and richer visuals along with quicker loading and an altogether better gaming experience.

Apple also launched a new native application for all Apple devices called Freefrom. This is basically a Zoom’s whiteboard feature but as an app. You can collaborate with people and brainstorm and do so many things. It is a more flexible mind mapping tool.

Again, most of the things you saw in iOS 16 like Live Text improvements also come to the macOS and the iPadOS. You also get something some added features such as biometric encryption on recently deleted photos which I think is a must for many users.

Hold on, there is more to this update. The flagship feature is called Stage Manager. Ever had a clutter of windows? I have that a little too often. Stage Manager aims to tackle just that. So, Apple has added this toggle in the Control Centre in your Mac if you toggle this on. All your windows get stacked up on the left side of the screen. And the active window that you are working on remains in the centre. As you switch windows, the inactive screens keep on stacking up, you can only have one active window this way. This is how it looks. I tried it out, and it is useful, but sometimes it can just be annoying.

macOS Ventura also comes with an enhanced version of Spotlight search where you can now search for contents within images and files, launch quick actions and a smarter Siri. This tiny upgrade is probably the most useful feature in this entire update!

Now for the moment of truth, this update looks like a huge upgrade and honestly, nothing looks bad in this update. Everything looks seamless and functional. However, there is a catch! Apple has cut off support for a lot of MacBooks. Honestly, Apple dropped the hammer too hard. MacBooks Airs released in 2017 don’t make it to the eligibility criteria! Apple keeps trumpeting how they offer long-lasting support for their devices, but these devices got support for only 5 years! Imagine buying a $1500 MacBook after stretching your budget and you get this.

Anyway, let’s head over to iPadOS now, well everything you read in iOS and macOS articles has been merged into iPadOS. iPadOS is an amalgamation of the best Apple has. iPadOS comes with all the basic features such as the enhanced Spotlight search with quick actions, Live Text improvements, more customisation to Memojis, Stage Manger, Safari, Freeform literally everything. iPadOS also gets features such as better gaming performance, features such as editing and unsending texts, a new Weather app, and a Mail app. iPadOS is perfect and this time it gets even better. Many people question themselves daily… can the iPad replace my MacBook? Well, for ages the answer was “nope,” because Apple didn’t have tracking support but Apple introduced it and then people said you can multitask on the iPad. You can obviously do basic multi-tasking such as two app windows, but this time Apple, even above and beyond, introduced desktop-class multi-tasking. This means overlapping windows over 3+ windows open at the same time and whatnot!

Can Apple get any better? I mean, from what I understand, Apple is offering the best software your money can buy and people yet say “Apple is a gimmick. Apple is a status symbol.” Well, to some extent, yes, maybe a status symbol, but I can surely assure you Apple is not a gimmick. Apple has launched some serious updates which make the experience way better and perfect for anyone and everyone, from professionals to newbies. You can’t go wrong with Apple.

Anyway, it’s a wrap. That’s essentially what Apple launched in terms of software. Apple also launched the watchOS which I will be covering. Initially, I planned it for this article but again; I don’t want to bore you so we can talk about watchOS 9 later. I hope you liked this article and if you did, don’t forget to share it with your friends and family. Also, also, also, don’t forget to update your devices and I will catch you in a couple of days?

Tried thinking of a funny conclusion but didn’t get one,
Tejas Tagra