Apple usually unveils updates to its operating system in June at its Worldwide Developers Conference, and then releases it to the public in September or October following a series of developer and public betas.
With macOS 10.16 the next major release, we thought we’d take a look at some of the features we’d love to see come to the Mac…
FaceID authentication
It has to happen! Though the Mac’s current iSight cameras leave a lot to be desired, it could be possible that Apple is working on new high-quality cameras that can be used to offer FaceID login authentication, streamlining the process and allowing us to sit down at our desks and get to work right away. It’d also make authentication much easier in day to day life, encouraging us to spend via Apple Pay when we should be working on an assignment.
Low power mode
Apple has been rumored to be working on a new high-power mode, designed to allow users to supercharge their Macs for gaming and productivity purposes. But what about the other way round? As more and more of us are working from coffee shops, park benches and away from home, having a low-power mode that keeps us online for as long as possible would really help. Hey, it came to iOS, so why not launch the same thing on macOS in 2020?
Better messages
iMessage on the Mac is convenient, but do we really need dedicated iMessage and FaceTime apps? We’d love to see Apple overhaul the messaging experience on the Mac, introducing iOS-only features and encouraging users to stick to iMessage rather than WhatsApp and Messenger, which also have dedicated macOS apps. Hey, why not go the whole hog and bring iMessage to Windows/Android? We wouldn’t be against that cross-platform introduction.
Music handoff
It’s so awkward when you start watching a YouTube video, listen to a podcast or open an album in Apple Music, only to have to head out to run an errand or spend time away from our computers. It would be awesome if Apple could introduce an improved handoff feature, so we can keep our content playing from one device to another.
Battery management
Apple has made great strides in improving battery performance, but knowing the battery percentage of all of your connected peripherals is tough. We’d love to see Apple introduce a new battery management user interface, either as a drop-down from the menu bar or a widget in the Notification Center, so we can ensure all of our headphones and accessories are fully charged. There’s nothing worse than running out of juice halfway through a movie.
Improved device management
When Apple removed iTunes last year, it moved device management over to the Finder menu. That’s a nice workaround, but a dedicated Device management app would be super useful. We could plug in our iPad or iPhone via USB (or wirelessly) and manage settings, storage, and files, and connect AirPods and control their sound, settings, and double-tap options without having to trawl through iOS settings menus. Apple, keep it simple!
iPhone unlock
Apple Watch users can have their macOS devices automatically unlock when they’re nearby, but why can’t iOS users do the same? Even if Apple adds a prompt on an iOS device – ‘Would you like to log in on your Mac?’ – it would it a great timesaver and further unify the iOS and macOS experiences.
Notification sync
What if we could manage all of our notifications across iOS, macOS, watchOS and iPadOS from one notification center? It’s kinda frustrating when you open a message on your phone but it still shows as unread on your Mac.
More Catalyst apps
Finally, we’d love to see more developers be encouraged to port their iPadOS apps over to the Mac. Apple’s Project Catalyst was a breakthrough, but so far, very few developers have taken advantage. Apple should do more to incentivize developers to move over to the Mac, offering financial rewards or discounts off of their membership.
Which of these features would you like to see come to the Mac? Let us know and check back soon for more.
