Apple is expected to introduce a whole host of new features to macOS 10.15, borrowing functionality from iOS and taking advantage of its new Marzipan cross-platform capability.
The company has been working to bring the Mac and iPhone closer together for a number of years now, and will this year introduce more iOS-only features to the Mac for the first time.
It has been reported that Siri Shortcuts and Screen Time, two features introduced as part of iOS 12 back in 2018, will make their way to the Mac, alongside a host of other additions.
Siri Shortcuts Coming to the Mac
Siri Shortcuts integration will allow Mac users to create custom shortcuts for actions that can be done within apps, and if the company can marry together the functionality from iOS with the vast number of macOS apps on the market, then the feature could prove very useful.
It’s interesting to note that Shortcuts – which was born out of Apple’s acquisition of Workflow – is only available on the Apple App Store and does not come as a standard packaged app on iOS.
Whether Apple decides to include Shortcuts as standard on macOS, or whether users will have the choice of downloading and using the functionality, remains to be seen.
Siri will also be given more features and functionality on the Mac, according to sources at the company.
The ability to set alarms, timers, and ask about air quality are just some of the rumored additions expected to be included on the macoS variant of Apple’s smart assistant.
Monitor Screen Time on the Mac
As well as changes to Siri, it’s expected that Apple will introduce Screen Time to the Mac for the first time, following its successful introduction on iOS 12 last year.
Being able to see how long users spend inside apps and on websites can give them more control over their time and productivity, and the feature has been popular amongst parents who can limit app-usage for their children, for example, to avoid too much YouTube or to limit social media use.
It’s expected that the feature will work in the same way on the Mac as it does on iOS, although as more users work via web browsers on the Mac rather than in apps, it will be very interesting to see if and how Apple manages to overcome this problem.
Being able to spy on Google Chrome and Safari browsers sessions and report back could be useful, although some may be concerned over privacy and security should Apple gain access to such data.
Other features expected to be introduced to macOS 10.15 at this year’s WWDC include the ability to manage your Apple ID under System Preferences, and the porting of iOS iMessage effects to the Messages app.
Some of these features are novelties, and will likely spark the question of whether Apple is dumbing down macOS to appease mass audiences rather than professional users.
Time will tell how Apple will market these new additions to the Mac.
What are your thoughts on these new developments? Are you excited to see Apple bring Screen Time and Siri Shortcuts to the Mac, or are these features unnecessary bloatware? Let us know on Twitter using @AppleMagazine, and check back soon for more Apple news.
