Apple is rolling out its latest macOS for Macbooks and iMacs. Dubbed as macOS Catalina, is versioned 10.15 and was previously announced by Apple at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June. macOS Catalina is not a major upgrade to that of the existing Mojave. However, there are a bunch of improvements and new features added in Catalina. The operating system is focused on increasing users’ productivity while providing several other security and multimedia features.
Before we drill-down to all the essential features of the new macOS Catalina, here is a small contrast between macOS and Windows OS. Windows and macOS are widely used operating systems and choosing one among the other is purely subjective. Having said that, the best way to possibly describe the difference between Windows and macOS is that they both have their way of accomplishing tasks.
Keeping the application support aside, a major reason for people to choose macOS is its security and stability. Meanwhile, people prefer Windows because of its accessibility and hardware choices. There is also a wide section of users who prefer using macOS because of the ecosystem benefits Apple has to offer with its iPhones, Apple Watches, and more. Gestures, ease-of-usage, and minimalist UI are also some of the major pros of macOS over Windows.
Apple has been trying hard to attract users to switch to macOS. However, Windows still tops the global charts by over 80 percent of overall PC usage compared to macOS which accounts for about 10 percent of global usage.
Here are all the latest and important features baked into the latest macOS Catalina.
Security
Security has always been a strong zone for macOS and accordingly, the all-new macOS Catalina has several security upgrades.
Catalina comes with strong data protection features. It checks with the users before allowing an app to access the data. Moreover, the OS will now ask the user before an app can perform keylogging or record the screen. With the macOS Catalina, the activation lock which is already existing in the iPhones and iPads made its debut in the Macs. All the Mac models with Apple T2 security chip can now only be erased and/or reactivated by only its owner.
Catalina also comes with an enhanced Gatekeeper which will make sure to run a security check on all the apps downloaded to avoid potential danger. It also comes with a dedicated read-only system volume for reliability.
Find My iPhone and Find My Friends are now combined into a single powerful application in the latest macOS and it makes it very easy for users to locate their device as well as their friend’s device. The new feature also allows users to locate the device even if it is offline.
Accessibility
macOS Catalina now comes with a voice-control feature. It also supports on-device processing of these voice commands ensuring the private or personal data is kept private. It also allows adding custom words for voice-based inputs. Users can also entirely rely on voice commands for app navigation, transitions between text and voice commands, and more.
There are a bunch of visual accessibility changes in Catalina. This includes better hover text, zoom display, display color filters, display tinting, and simplified navigation.
Music and TV
Apple has finally decided to put an end to the legendary iTunes with macOS Catalina. Instead, it is going to feature Apple Music, Podcasts, and Apple TV apps. Apple Music allows users to stream and download over 50 million songs while offering an easy playlist and library organization. The app comes with an updated player that can display the lyrics while playing the music.
Apple TV app allows users to purchase, stream, and download content. It supports Dolby Atomos, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Digital Plus audio formats for a better multimedia experience. Catalina also allows its users to browse, listen, and search for various podcasts. Media-syncing is made easy across various Apple products such as iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Sidecar
This is one of the best features of macOS Catalina. Thanks to Sidecar, users can now connect their iPads to the Macs and use them as a secondary display. Using this, Mac users can now refer to one app while working on another app making themselves more productive. You can also use it as an extended desktop, mirror the desktop, and work with all the multi-touch gestures. Touch Bar and Sidebar have also been made easy to handle these multi-desktop modes for more effective usage. For more information about Sidecar, please visit here.
There are several other features and improvements made in Safari, Notes, QuickTime Player, Mail, Reminder, and Notes. While there are several features offered in macOS that are not offered in Windows, but perhaps only existing Mac users will be able to fully understand the value of these features. As for the non-Mac users, these features might just seem like nothing more than fancy add-ons.
Images: Apple
