All you need to know about IOS 12
& macos Mojave Every new key feature and app revealed!
The Mac has taken a backseat while Apple has focused its attention on
IOS and watchos in recent times, so it’s finally time for the desktop and laptop to get some love.
The headline feature is a new Dark Mode which turns the main components of the operating system dark grey and looks stunning. Users can toggle between a light and dark desktop, and built-in apps like Mail, Messages, Maps, Calendar and Photos all include Dark Mode designs.
Your desktop can now react differently according to the time of the day, toggling Dark Mode on and off automatically.
Thought your Mac App Store has been looking dated for while? You’re not the only one. Finally, Apple has given the Mac App Store a huge design and feature overhaul, bringing it in line with its redesigned IOS equivalent. The redesign sees big billboards calling out new apps and collections, as well as a lot more editorial content. It highlights new and updated apps in the Discover tab, while tabs for Create, Work, Play and Develop help users find apps for a specific project or purpose.
Apart from the obvious redesign, the big news here is who is onboard for the relaunch. Microsoft and Adobe will be making Office 365 and Lightroom CC respectively available for download via the Mac App Store for the first time.
Get organised
Mac users with messy desktops will love a new feature called Stacks, which can organise even the most cluttered of desktops by automatically stacking files into neat groups based on file type. Users can customise their Stacks to sort based on other file attributes like date and tags. Elsewhere, a new Gallery view has been added to Finder that makes it easier than ever to view collections of images, while a Preview pane now shows all of a file’s metadata, making it easier to manage media assets.
In macos Mojave, handy apps including News, Stocks, Voice Memos and Home are now available on Mac for the first time. These IOS favourites now have a place on Mac, which in the form of News and Home especially is long overdue. As with all Apple software updates, enhanced privacy and security remain a top priority in macos Mojave. In Safari, enhanced Intelligent Tracking Prevention helps block social media ‘Like’ or ‘Share’ buttons and comment widgets from tracking users without permission.
Apple are on the offensive already: “macos Mojave is a major update that introduces powerful new features for a wide range of Mac users, from consumers to pros,” says Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “Dark Mode brings a dramatic new look to macos that puts your content front and centre, familiar IOS apps come to the Mac for the first time and the redesigned Mac App Store makes finding new apps easier and more enjoyable than ever.”
macos Mojave instantly looks a more appealing proposition than its predecessor High Sierra. At the time of going to press, a developer preview was already available but keep your eyes peeled for the public beta, which will be downloadable throughout the summer. Expect macos Mojave to be ready for action sometime in the autumn.