What’s up with macOS Monterey?

What’s up with macOS Monterey?

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9 min read

First of all, let’s see what macOS Monterey is, after which we’ll go into depth about its new features and improvements.

What is macOS Monterey?

To get you up to date, macOS Monterey is the latest update that has come to the Mac family of devices (That would consist of: MacBook Air/Pro, iMac, Mac Pro & Mac Mini). Although it is still in beta until the large public release in fall, I have put together a list of some great features you can expect to see in the public release.

Even though the larger audience doesn’t have access to the beta version of the macOS, it’s fairly easy to put your hands on the latest version of it; all you have to do is go to Apple Beta Software Program website for the macOS and follow the steps that Apple presents in order to join the beta program.

Now that you got a better idea of what macOS Monterey is and how you can get it in the beta version, let’s continue with the list I’ve put up consisting of some of the most important features that this version of the Mac Operating System comes packed with;

What are the macOS Monterey new features?

1. Safari gets a pretty big glow-up

Safari has been among the changes that were in the center of attention with the new Monterey update; some of the biggest changes that provide safari with a big glow-up are:

a) Streamlined tab bar

The streamlined tab bar takes up less room on the page and adjusts to match the colors of each site, extending your web page to the edge of the window.

If we’re looking at the image above you can see that the bar lengthens the space of a tab at the top of Safari, which makes for a pretty nice remake.

b) Tab groups

This new features lets you save and organise your tabs in the way that works best for you. Switch between tab groups using the redesigned sidebar or drop-down menu. Tab groups sync across devices so you have access to your tabs from anywhere.

c) Privacy & Security features and improvements

First of all, we would have new privacy protections which, according to Apple:

Intelligent Tracking Prevention now also prevents trackers from profiling you using your IP address.

And on the other hand we have the HTTPS upgrade which, according to Apple:

Safari automatically upgrades sites known to support HTTPS from insecure HTTP.

And I usually support claims made by Apple, at least whenever they refer to security and privacy; that’s because the reputation they’ve made since the Steve Jobs era and focused on since then, so I can’t argue with those claims.

2. Focus

Focus is another strongpoint of the latter update to the macOS family of devices; it comes packed with a lot of improvements and new features, such as:

a) Focus

Match your devices to your mindset with Focus. Automatically filter notifications based on what you’re currently doing. Turn on Do Not Disturb to switch everything off, or choose from a suggested Focus for work, personal time, sleep, fitness, gaming, reading, or driving.

b) Urgent Messages

If someone’s status is turned on, signaling that they have notifications silenced with Focus, you can break through with an urgent message. If you’re on the receiving end, you can prevent an app or person from breaking through.

c) Status API

For conversations in third-party messaging apps, developers can use your status to reflect that you’ve stepped away.

For example, in case we’ve activated a focus mode where we don’t want to receive messages on Facebook Messenger, Apple provides an api response which lets Facebook know we don’t want to be disturbed at this time and will probably show a status on Facebook with something like: “Username is busy / has focus mode active” or anything like that.

3. Notes

https://www.lifewire.com/apples-new-quick-notes-could-change-the-way-we-organize-information-5188696

Apple hasn’t forgotten about the notes app, as they have included a couple of updates and improvements to it as well; the most important among these would be:

a) Tags

Tags are a fast and flexible way to categorize and organize your notes. Add one or more tags by typing them directly in the note — like #activities or #cooking.

b) Activity view

See what others have added to your shared note while you were away. The new Activity view gives a summary of updates since the last time you viewed the note and a day-to-day list of activity from each collaborator.

c) Mentions

Mentions make collaboration in shared notes or folders more social, direct, and contextual. Type an @ sign and the name of a collaborator anywhere in your note to notify them of important updates and link them back to the note.

d) Quick Note

It is a quick way of saving crucial info. And with the new Notes app & functionality, they can both be used together nicely. The quick note can be accessed from anywhere in the system. You can be using any app or in full screen or Split View.

4. Apple Maps

Apple in iOS 15 overhauled the Maps app to add a much more detailed design in select areas, an interactive globe, improved driving directions, better transit info, and more, and all of those same changes are available in macOS Monterey.

If you zoom all the way out in the Maps app you can get to an interactive globe view, which is new to Maps. You can rotate the globe and drill down into different areas around the world, and Apple has greatly enhanced the details you see for mountain ranges, deserts, forests, and oceans.

In cities that include San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and London, Apple has added tons more detail for elevation, roads, trees, and buildings, with these features rendered in 3D. In San Francisco, for example, you can see notable landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and Coit Tower rendered in 3D.

Apple’s own Infinite Loop and Apple Park campuses are also rendered in this new detailed 3D look so you can get a closer bird’s eye view of the iconic ring-shaped building. It’s likely Apple will add this more detailed view to additional cities in the coming months as it has done with other Maps features like Look Around.

An updated driving map provides additional detail on traffic and hazards that might affect your drive, and roads are much more detailed with clearly delineated turn lanes, bike lanes, bus lanes, medians, crosswalks, and more to give you a better overview of your route.

Place cards for businesses, landmarks, restaurants, and more have been updated with a new design, with Apple providing details about nearby places, other spots at the same location, Guide availability, and more. Apple is still using Yelp to pull in information like reviews.

Other new features in ‌macOS Monterey‌ include a Guides Home for finding new editorially curated guides, improved search with filters that drill down into the results, and a new user profile where Maps users can manage their settings.

These features are available to developers who have ‌macOS Monterey‌ installed at the current time, with Apple planning to release a public beta in July. ‌macOS Monterey‌ will be available to the public this fall.

5. FaceTime

Alongside the latest addition to the macOS versions, we have seen some core improvements to the not-so-only-Apple video calling platform, which would be Facetime. Why I am referring to Facetime as the ‘not-so-only-Apple video calling platform’? Well, that’s because Apple has been supporting the rest of this industry a lot with this, as they have decided to allow non-Apple users to take advantage of their calling service through the web.

The option to now invite non-Apple users into a FaceTime calls is extremely easy to use, as it’s incorporated in both their iOS 15 FaceTime app, as well as on the app on the Mac family of devices.

macOS FaceTime app option to create a new call and share the link with non-Apple users

macOS FaceTime app option to create a new call and share the link with non-Apple users

And not only this, but we also have a lot of more new features which I will list down below so you can check them out:

Spatial audio

Creates a sound field that helps conversations flow as easily as they do face to face. Your friends’ voices are spread out to sound like they’re coming from the direction in which they’re positioned on the call.

Portrait mode

Inspired by the portraits you take in the Camera app, Portrait mode in FaceTime blurs your background and puts the focus on you.

Voice Isolation mode

This microphone mode spotlights your voice by using machine learning to identify ambient noises and block them out. So a leaf blower outside or a dog barking in the next room won’t interrupt your call.

Wide Spectrum mode

This microphone mode brings every single sound into your call. It’s ideal for when you’re taking music lessons or want your friend to hear everything that’s happening in the space you’re in.

Grid view

Lets you see people in your Group FaceTime calls in the same-size tiles, and highlights the current speaker so it’s easy to know who’s talking. You’ll see up to 18 faces in the grid at a time

Among these features, another important one, as important as the addition of links, would be SharePlay;

Now, what is SharePlay?

When you’re on a FaceTime call, SharePlay lets you bring music into your call for a shared listening experience, watch movies and TV shows with your friends in sync while having real-time conversations, and share your screen. At launch, it will work with many third-party apps, including TikTok, so you can bring all sorts of content into your FaceTime calls.

Quoted from Pocket-Lint.

What can this new feature actually do? Well, I’ll be listing some of the features of SharePlay, as well as giving a bit more insight into each of them so you can better understand its use;

Share your screen

Share your screen to bring web pages, apps, and more into your conversation on FaceTime.

Synced playback

Pause, rewind, fast-forward, or jump to a different scene — everyone’s playback remains in perfect sync.

Smart volume

Dynamically responsive volume controls automatically adjust audio so you can hear your friends even during a loud scene or climactic chorus.

Shared music queue

When listening together, anyone in the call can add songs to the shared queue.

Multiple device support

Connect over FaceTime on your Mac while watching video on your Apple TV or listening to music on your HomePod.

Connect through audio, video, and text

Access your group’s Messages thread right from the FaceTime controls and choose the mode of communication that matches the moment.

Conclusion

I hope that reading this article helped you get a better understand of the even better experience and the new features that Apple has been working on in the following version of macOS which will be ready for production in Fall for the wide audience.

And also, if you liked this story, and even if you didn't, I would appreciate it a lot if you could give me some insight in the comments for this story.

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