There is already much more news about macOS Monterey than even Apple revealed in the WWDC 2021 keynote. The new macOS is packed with features that users will want to use - from small to tiny.
"We have more to talk about," said Craig Federighi at the conclusion of the WWDC 2021 announcement of macOS Monterey. He just didn't go into detail, and instead the keynote presentation moved on. Below, we summarize what Apple has revealed about macOS Monterey. Although Apple has touted the major changes, users will be Details find the important updates that will make a difference in the way you use your Mac. As small as they are, once you use them, macOS Big Sur will seem archaic.
Safari improvements
Both Craig Federighi and Beth Dakin, Senior Manager, Safari Software Engineering, focused on how tabs have changed in Safari. The new position and newly integrated search box are the most visible, most immediately useful features. But the sidebar has also been redesigned to reflect the new emphasis on tab groups. There's also a cosmetic change, with the tabs themselves being rounder and clearer when you use them. Even today, some of the websites you open in tabs will use HTTP instead of the more secure HTTPS. But the new Safari will automatically update them so your connection is still HTTPS. This is all part of making Safari more secure and private. Safari will also offer better privacy protections, preventing trackers from tracking your IP address and building a profile of the websites you use.
notes
Whether you're in Safari or anywhere else on your Mac, you'll be able to use Quick Notes. This is the name for the action of quickly opening a note, which will then be saved to Apple Notes when you choose. This feature is great for anything you want to jot down quickly, or anything you want to keep track of. For example, Safari lets you highlight text or images on a web page and add them directly to your notes. Later, when you return to the web page in question—or open an app where you created a quick note—a thumbnail of the note will appear. It's there to remind you that you created that note. When you're working on a Quick Note, you can hide it on a page, and unhide it when you want to add information.
Universal Control
Notes you create are of course automatically synced across all your devices. Perhaps the most amazing example of how you can share information in macOS Monterey, however, is Universal Control. As demonstrated in the keynote, this is the feature that simply places an iPad next to a MacBook Pro to create a sharing connection. The MacBook Pro's keyboard and trackpad can be used to control the iPad. These devices can be combined:
- MacBook 2016 or newer
- MacBook Air 2018 or newer
- MacBook Pro 2016 and newer
- iMac (5K Retina 27-inch, Late 2015 or later)
- iMac Pro
- Mac mini (2018 or later)
- iPad Pro
- iPad Air (3rd generation or later)
- iPad (6th generation or later)
- iPad mini (5th generation or later)
So that means: yes, Universal Control will work with Intel Macs too. Apple says the devices must all have Bluetooth, WiFi and Handoff enabled. They must also be within 10 meters of each other. iPad and Mac must not use a tethering connection for their internet connection. There is another configuration that Apple has only briefly hinted at so far. It will be possible to use Universal Control via an iPad connected to a Mac via USB.
shortcuts
Apple confirms that users will be able to create Shortcuts on any device and they will be automatically synced. There will be features on macOS that have no equivalent on iOS and vice versa. But this is not a separate copy of the Shortcuts feature. It is an extension of the existing Shortcuts on macOS. While Apple stated that the older Automator system will continue to be supported, it only briefly mentioned AppleScript. To reinforce the assumption that the more powerful service will continue, Apple now says that Shortcuts for Mac will be able to integrate AppleScript.
The joy of small details
There aren't many companies that make a big deal about their screensavers. Apple hasn't either. But Cupertino has updated its wallpapers and screensavers for this version of macOS—just like every year. This time, the new set of wallpapers and a screensaver includes one that "celebrates the history and progress of the Mac." Apple explains:
Watch the word 'Hello' appear on screen in 34 different languages, using a specially designed 3D font inspired by the first Mac. The generative screensaver follows the graceful arcs and curves of the letters as they are written, choosing from various camera angles and positions—ensuring the animation looks fresh every time.
Also small but visually appealing is a new pie chart progress indicator. When copying files, a small pie chart icon shows how far the process has progressed. Users can also now stop or pause the copy process to continue it later. Individually, these may be small advances on the Mac. But together they are impressive. Don't expect all of them to make it into the first public version, though. (Image: Apple)
