Skip to content
macOS 14 Sonoma brings desktop widgets, more private Private browsing to the Mac
Apple pulled the covers off the latest iteration of its Mac operating system at WWDC on June 5, 2023. Named macOS Sonoma after the Northern California town known for its wine region, the new software has customization at its heart, with Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering says: “We think users will love macOS Sonoma and the new ways it allows them to personalize with widgets and stunning new screensavers, see new levels of gaming performance and gain powerful productivity for video conferencing and browsing with Safari.” Here are the key features to look forward to in macOS Sonoma when it arrives in the fall.
Screen savers
Okay, this may seem like a blast from the past, but screensavers are still a thing and Apple has taken them to the next level in macOS Sonoma. Instead of static images, the new screensaver mode features high-resolution videos, gently sweeping over areas of outstanding beauty around the world. When you log in, the video also slows down to a paused image that instantly becomes your background.
Widgets made their debut on Apple’s mobile devices with iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, and now in macOS 14 they’re coming to the larger screens. It is true that you already had them available in the Notification Center, but now you can drag them from that area to your desktop. They also don’t click to locations automatically like they do on mobile devices, so you can place them wherever you want, another sign of the personalization macOS Sonoma offers.
Opening an app causes the widgets to fade into the background, matching the selected background color scheme, making them unobtrusive. But perhaps the most useful feature is that in macOS Sonoma you can use existing widgets from your iPhone on the Mac. You don’t need to install them either, as the two devices use Continuity to display them on your desktop. They also remain fully interactive, so you can use them just as you would on your iPhone.
Gaming
For years, gaming was the preserve of Windows PCs, with the Mac often left out in the cold. With the performance gains Apple made with its M1 and M2 processors, it seems the company is eager to make up for this ground with the introduction of a new game mode. This essentially optimizes the system to give top priority to CPU and GPU demands, while also lowering latency in controllers and AirPods by doubling the Bluetooth sampling rates. The model is compatible with all existing games on the Mac, so you don’t need special editions or new purchases to take advantage of the improved performance.
Apple
To encourage publishers to use Game Mode, Apple also announced its new Game Porting Kit, which Apple says will dramatically reduce the amount of work required to port titles from other platforms to the Mac. And later this year, a new title is coming to macOS to take advantage of this: Death stranding.
Video conferencing
macOS Sonoma aims to make video conferencing smarter, with tools for hosts and viewers. A new Presenter Overlay feature allows the host to remain in view at all times, either in a small circular window that can be moved around the screen to avoid obscuring the information being shared. Alternatively, switching to the larger mode allows for some smart work from the Neural Engine, which places the presenter in a larger space with the shared information behind it, but still visible. Most impressively, the background in the room is then layered behind both, giving the appearance of the data being presented floating in the room.
Other callers can also respond with comments that show balloons, fireworks, and other festive animations over their video. For even more fun, these can be activated by physical gestures, such as a double thumbs up. Should make those long conference calls a little more interesting. Since the effects are all done in macOS, Apple says they will work with any video conferencing software.
Safari improvements
macOS Sonoma adds some extra security features to the Safari browser. These include locking browser windows when you’re not using them, blocking trackers from loading pages, and removing trackers from URLs in Private Browsing mode.
Passkeys are also getting some attention, as you can now securely share passkeys and passwords with family and friends, with the ability for anyone in the group to update or add new ones. It all works through iCloud Keychain, so the data remains encrypted at all points. Another handy addition is Profiles, which lets you create multiple instances of Safari, one of which might be focused on work, with all the favorites, bookmarks, and the like, but also another for the home where you have a very different collection of information. .
Apple
Web apps
Yes, you read that right, web apps on Mac. If you regularly use a website, macOS Sonoma lets you create an icon in the dock that takes you directly to that site. But Safari recognizes that you’ve chosen it as a web app, and instead of simply opening the main browser window, it instead shows a simplified version that looks more like an app. It’s all handled by Safari, so the websites themselves don’t need to have any extra encryption or special modes. It also supports notifications so you can see when an order is on its way or when the latest stories are posted.
Apple
When can you get macOS Sonoma?
Apple uses WWDC to highlight the features that will appear in its software lineup, but you won’t be able to get your hands on it until the fall. In the meantime, if you can’t wait that long, you can sign up for the Apple Beta Software program and try it out early. Keep in mind that the software is still in the development phase, so it won’t run as smoothly as if you wait for the full version to become available later this year.
Stay connected with us on social media platform for instant update click here to join our Facebook
