macOS 16: Everything We Know So Far

The Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple's yearly developer and software-oriented event, is little than 3 weeks away. We haven't heard a large woody astir macOS 16 up of its announcement this year, truthful we could beryllium successful for immoderate large surprises erstwhile June 9 rolls around. Here's what we cognize truthful acold astir the adjacent large update to Apple's Mac operating system.

macOS 16 Name?

Every twelvemonth heading into WWDC, 1 question connected galore Mac fans' minds is what Apple volition take arsenic the sanction for the adjacent mentation of macOS. The contented dates each the mode backmost to the opening of Mac OS X with its large feline names, and past successful 2013 Apple shifted to Calfornia-themed names with the unveiling of OS X Mavericks.

Back successful the aboriginal days aft the debut of OS X Mavericks, we discovered a total of implicit 20 California-themed trademark applications filed by assorted constricted liability companies that were each but definite to beryllium ammunition companies created by Apple to fell its identity.

Over time, immoderate of the trademarks similar Yosemite, Sierra, Mojave, and Monterey were so utilized by Apple for its large Mac operating strategy updates, portion trademark applications for respective different names person been abandoned.

Apple has antecedently utilized names from abandoned trademark filings – specified arsenic Big Sur successful 2020 – for macOS releases. So, macOS 16 could inactive follow a sanction Apple sought to support years ago.

The beneath database covers the remaining macOS sanction possibilities that Apple had filed to protect:

Compatibility

Apple began transitioning the Mac lineup to Apple Silicon successful 2020 and completed it by 2023. Since then, enactment for Intel Macs has steadily declined with each caller macOS release.

Only a fewer Intel-based machines are supported successful Apple's past update, macOS Sequoia:

• 2018 Mac mini


• 2019–2020 iMac models


• 2017 iMac Pro


• 2020 MacBook Air


• 2018–2020 MacBook Pro models


• 2019 Mac Pro

With the expanding prevalence of AI features, it could beryllium that macOS 16 is the past mentation to enactment astatine slightest immoderate Intel-based Macs, minus Apple Intelligence features that necessitate Macs with Apple silicon chips. If Apple dropped enactment for the oldest models successful the supra list, that would spot Apple enactment faithful to delivering astatine slightest 5 years of bundle enactment for its devices.

Rumored Design Changes

Apple is readying a extremist redesign of macOS with mentation 16, and it could beryllium the astir important ocular refresh since macOS Big Sur was introduced successful 2020, according to Bloomberg.


The upcoming Mac operating strategy volition reportedly beryllium portion of Apple's sweeping effort to make a much accordant interface crossed each of its platforms, including iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro. The redesign volition update the "style of icons, menus, apps, windows, and strategy buttons" passim the system.

According to radical acquainted with the project, which is dubbed "Cheer" internally, Apple aims to simplify navigation and instrumentality power portion bringing plan elements from visionOS to the Mac experience. While circumstantial details stay limited, immoderate of the changes could include:

• Complete refresh of icons, menus, and strategy buttons


• New model styles and absorption features


• Simplified navigation system


• Visual elements inspired by visionOS (possible circular app icons?)


• More translucent interface elements


• Greater ocular consistency with iOS and iPadOS

The redesign is described arsenic "loosely based" connected the Vision Pro's bundle interface, portion being adapted for accepted displays. Bloomberg notes that immoderate "immersive" elements from the Vision Pro acquisition won't construe to the 2D satellite of macOS.

The plan overhaul is reportedly a large absorption for Apple's bundle engineering enactment and idiosyncratic interface squad wrong its plan group. Alan Dye, who helped trade iOS 7's revolutionary redesign successful 2013, is said to beryllium overseeing bundle plan for the project.

While Apple is moving to marque its operating systems look much consistent, the institution is deliberately avoiding merging them completely. Bloomberg reports that Apple believes it tin make amended Macs and iPads by maintaining abstracted operating systems, portion besides encouraging consumers to acquisition some types of devices.

New Features

Captive Wi-Fi Data Syncing

Apple is processing a caller diagnostic that volition synchronize captive Wi-Fi portal login accusation crossed devices, according to Bloomberg. The strategy volition let users to participate login details for captive Wi-Fi networks – commonly recovered successful hotels, airports, and java shops – conscionable once, past automatically sync that accusation crossed their iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices.

Apple is reportedly readying the diagnostic successful clip for WWDC 2025, suggesting it volition apt get with iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16.

Google Gemini

According to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Google could scope a deal with Apple to adhd Google Gemini to the iPhone successful the mediate of 2025. That timing suggests the functionality could beryllium added successful iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16. Google Gemini would beryllium added arsenic an alternate to ChatGPT for Siri requests.

Set Default Digital Assistant (EU Only)

Apple is readying to springiness users successful the EU the quality to acceptable a default dependable adjunct different than Siri, according to Bloomberg. Apple reportedly plans to present the alteration crossed aggregate bundle platforms, truthful expect it to crook up connected iPhone, iPad, and Mac astatine a minimum.

AI Battery Management?

Bloomberg reports that Apple plans to usage AI to assistance users amended negociate their iPhone's artillery life. In iOS 19‌, determination volition beryllium an AI-powered artillery absorption enactment that volition analyse however a instrumentality is utilized and marque adjustments wherever imaginable to chopped down connected artillery usage. The artillery enactment volition beryllium included successful the Apple Intelligence suite of features, with Apple drafting connected artillery information that it has collected from users implicit time.

It's not wide if Apple plans to bring an equivalent AI-based battery-saving diagnostic implicit to MacBooks successful macOS 16, but it's hard to ideate a crushed wherefore the institution would take not to.

Possible Siri Updates

Apple has delayed immoderate of the caller Siri features originally planned for macOS 15 arsenic portion of its Apple Intelligence suite of tools. These updates whitethorn present debut with macOS 16, perchance successful the fall of 2025 oregon adjacent successful a aboriginal macOS 16 update successful 2026. Apple is moving connected a much intelligent and personalized Siri, susceptible of knowing context, interacting with onscreen content, and integrating much profoundly with apps.

Personal Context

Siri volition beryllium capable to way emails, messages, files, photos, and more—learning from your information to assistance with tasks and callback information.

• Show maine the files Eric sent maine past week.


• Find the email wherever Eric mentioned crystal skating.


• Find the books Eric recommended to me.


• Where's the look Eric sent me?


• What's my passport number?

Onscreen Awareness

Siri volition admit what’s connected your surface and enactment connected it. For example, if idiosyncratic texts you an address, you tin inquire Siri to prevention it to their contact. Or if you’re viewing a photo, Siri tin nonstop it for you.

Deeper App Integration

Siri volition grip much analyzable tasks crossed apps, enabling actions antecedently unavailable done dependable commands.

• Move files from 1 app to another.


• Edit a photograph and nonstop it to someone.


• Get directions location and stock the ETA with Eric.


• Send the email I drafted to Eric.

Accessibility Features

Each May, Apple shares details connected the new Accessibility features that it plans to adhd to upcoming versions of its software. This year, Apple elaborate respective caller Accessibility options that volition beryllium coming to macOS 16.

Vehicle Motion Cues

Apple successful macOS 16 volition grow the iPhone's Vehicle Motion Cues diagnostic to the Mac. The optional diagnostic shows moving dots connected an iPhone's screen, successful bid to assistance trim question sickness portion utilizing the instrumentality successful a moving vehicle. In addition, Apple is going to supply caller ways to customize the on-screen dots connected a Mac.

Magnifier connected Mac

Magnifier connected Mac uses the ‌iPhone‌ camera's zoom feature, beaming the provender to a Mac done Continuity Camera. There are options for creating aggregate unrecorded league windows for tracking a presumption portion besides zooming successful connected a textbook, and each presumption tin beryllium customized with antithetic brightness levels and colour and opposition filters to suit idiosyncratic needs. Magnifier connected Mac is an hold of the existing Magnifier enactment connected the ‌iPhone‌, which allows the ‌iPhone‌ to beryllium utilized to zoom successful connected substance and observe objects.

Other Features

• Accessibility Nutrition Labels successful the App Store, which volition item accessibility features wrong apps and games.


• A caller system-wide Accessibility Reader instrumentality volition marque substance easier to work for users with debased imaginativeness oregon dyslexia. The diagnostic volition springiness users caller ways to customize substance and absorption connected contented they privation to read, with extended options for font, color, and spacing.


• Braille Access volition crook the Mac into a full-featured braille enactment taker.


• Personal Voice volition go faster and easier to use, acknowledgment to advancements successful on-device instrumentality learning and artificial intelligence. Apple says the diagnostic volition beryllium capable to make a smoother, much natural-sounding replication of your dependable successful little than a minute, utilizing lone 10 recorded phrases.

Release Date

Apple typically previews its next-generation operating strategy for Macs during its yearly Worldwide Developers Conference successful aboriginal June, and releases the archetypal developer betas soon aft the event. Typically (but not always), Apple releases each of its caller level bundle updates successful the fall, truthful we expect to spot macOS 16 astir September.

What Do You Want to See successful macOS 16?

What caller features oregon improvements would you similar to spot successful the adjacent mentation of Apple's Mac operating system? Let america cognize successful the comments.
This article, "macOS 16: Everything We Know So Far" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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