In the coming months, we’ll share concepts from each of Apple’s major platforms. Last month, we shared our concept for watchOS 8, and today we are sharing the next one, in this case for macOS. It includes all new apps, enhanced privacy controls, clearer notifications and more. But before I started designing this macOS concept, I wanted to find out what Apple could call this year’s launch.
It is very clear that after each truly major release of macOS, Apple chooses to focus on some specific areas for improvement. This is usually reflected in the launch mark. For example, in recent years, we’ve seen releases like “Yosemite”, then “El Capitan” or “Sierra” for “High Sierra”. It got me thinking about which places in or around Big Sur might have a good resonance with this kind of macOS brand.
What should it be called?
At first, I considered names like “Santa Lucia”, which is a mountain range near Big Sur. The Big Sur wallpapers show many mountains and hills, so it seemed like a natural fit. But I decided to go back and look at Apple’s trademarks previously reported for macOS names. One of them stands out in particular. “Monterey” is a name already registered by Apple and happens to be the county where Big Sur exists. It is important to note that “Big Sur” was one of the trademarks at the same time as “Monterey” in 2014.
Several other names included in that trademark application have been used over the years, so a name like “Monterey” is a good bet. Some of the names used are: “Yosemite”, “Sierra” and “El Cap”. Other names like “Redwood”, “Pacific”, “Diablo”, “Farallon” and “Grizzly” were included in the process along with several other potential future names.
The size of the Big Sur system revision and the compatibility of the Apple Silicon indicate that this year’s launch will be smaller, which is likely to focus more on individual applications and minor system improvements, rather than structural changes. A name like “Monterey” indicates this.
Manage cards and passes
I’m sure there are some people who will wonder why this app is part of that concept, but in the long run, it makes a lot of sense to have the Wallet app on macOS. Apple Card users currently need to view status information in System Preferences or use the Apple Card website.
With a full Wallet app on macOS, you can easily keep an eye on your transactions and pay your balance. You can also organize your cards and passes in different categories. In addition, over time, we tend to accumulate many passes that end up being used only once. These passes can be archived on your Mac so you don’t have to worry about them on your iPhone.
It’s time to kill Photo Booth
Photo Booth has been part of macOS for over a decade and has hardly changed. Throughout its 16-year lifespan, the app has come to stay inside people’s applications folder, accumulating dust. Memoji and Animoji are the future of fun on Apple platforms. They are the version of the photo booth effects of this generation.
An application such as “Memoji Studio” can present an independent version of the Memoji iMessage application on iOS. You’re probably wondering how it would work on the Mac, though, without a real depth camera. Memoji Studio would require a new generation of Mac with a true depth camera, but older Macs could still use stickers, the Memoji builder and the effects of the old school Photo Booth.
Fitness + classes on Mac
Apple currently allows Fitness + subscribers to attend classes on an iPad or Apple TV if they want to use a larger screen than their iPhone. It would be a natural extension for Apple to take the Fitness + app on iPadOS and bring it to the Mac.
Your Apple Watch can connect to your Mac in the same way that it currently connects to your iPad or Apple TV. Like your other devices, you can also use your wireless headphones to attend classes. Notebooks can also download different classes in case you use your Mac somewhere that doesn’t have access to the Internet or weak connections.
OTA genius commitments
Because of the pandemic, it has been difficult for users to repair their devices without risking their health. Apple stores take even more precautions than most other retailers, but there are many problems that users have that should not require them to visit the store in person.
With new support from Apple, app users can schedule an appointment with an Apple Genius using Facetime protocols. It is similar to using iMessage’s business chat, which is how you can currently speak to an Apple support specialist. With the new version of macOS, you can give Genius access to your Mac over-the-air so they can show you how to do things or even troubleshoot your Mac remotely. They would only have access during the call, and you would see all the things they are doing in real time.
Best for developers and testers
For the first time, Mac developers can test their applications through TestFlight. App users can sign up to test beta versions of their favorite apps, send feedback and more. It works exactly as you would expect if you are an avid iOS or iPadOS user.
IOS and iPadOS apps that work on macOS machines with Apple Silicon also appear directly in TestFlight on your Mac. They work just as they would on these other platforms.
Two simplified factors
With Apple Authenticator, you can connect your favorite web service accounts to the Keychain app on your Mac if you use Touch ID for authentication. When you sign in to a service that uses two-factor authentication, your Mac will automatically generate a code with a touch of your fingerprint. No one, except the service you are signing up for, sees your two-factor code, and since it requires your fingerprint to generate a code, no one but you will be able to log into your accounts. If you need to generate a code to use on another device, just open Keychain Access and generate a code with your fingerprint.
Apple Authenticator is more private than any other similar tool. It prevents others using your devices from seeing and entering your two-factor authentication codes. It is much more secure than apps like Google Authenticator or Authy. And because it works just like the traditional keyring entry, you already know how to use it.
Automator for the rest of us
Shortcuts are very popular on iOS and iPadOS, so it would be natural for the app to arrive on macOS soon. Automator is incredibly old, yet powerful. The new Shortcuts app for Mac would sync with all of your other devices, and because of the catalyst, many of them would work immediately on macOS.
Automator users can still take advantage of the functionality of this application through the automation menu in the sidebar. A new folder would allow you to see all of your most frequently used shortcuts. There may also be a new web font menu that makes it easy to install third-party shortcuts.
Measure many temperatures
One of the iOS apps that hasn’t made it to the Mac yet is Weather. We saw the new weather widgets come to macOS at the Big Sur Notification Center, but a standalone app can be a great benefit to users. Currently, you need to use a website or download a third-party weather app to see a lot of data.
The best part of this specific version of the Weather app would be the bigger screen. With it, Apple could display tons of locations in the blink of an eye, using a design similar to that of the new widgets.
Must-see and more actionable notifications
Big Sur really messed up the Mac’s notification system. Action buttons aren’t easily visible and usually require extra clicks. With Monterey, you could see all the buttons at a glance and those notifications could fall in the center of the screen. You may wonder why that makes sense, right? Well, Apple removed the notification icon from the top right. It makes no sense to click on the clock to see your notifications.
With Monterey, you could have a new notification icon in the center of the menu bar. The Notification Center can appear in the center of the screen so that users do not miss any important alerts. This would not only make it harder to miss notifications, but would also be on par with iOS and iPadOS. Your notifications appear from top to bottom. Apple could dedicate the side menu that appears by clicking on the clock for widgets.
More to love
This year, Apple can also make some improvements to the systems it introduced in Big Sur. IOS and iPadOS have gained some great privacy indicators that let you know when your microphone or camera is on in the status bar. Since the Mac has a green light that turns on when the camera is on, a camera indicator is not necessary. A microphone indicator, however, is very important. An orange dot appears right on the menu bar like on iOS. In addition, the elements of the user interface are cleaner and more flexible.
What do you think of our macOS Monterey concept? Do you have any other ideas for the names that Apple can choose? Are there any features missing that you think Apple could add this year? Let us know in the comments below!
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