MacOS Big Sur: A bold new Mac experience

Apple previewed macOS Big Sur at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference this year, named after the coastal region of California. macOS Big Sur brings the biggest design upgrade since the introduction of OS X. It includes exciting features, app updates and privacy improvements. Let us look at the changes, and which devices get it. 

macOS Big Sur has a simple, fresh and consistent design to make you feel comfortable with the Apple ecosystem. The interface makes navigation easier with buttons and controls at your fingertips. The menu bar has a new Control Center, giving quick access to controls you use the most, like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The quick access controls are customizable too. The Notification Center houses a mix of widgets and interactive notifications. You can play new music, podcasts or view calendar invite details, right from the notification panel. Most of these controls appear when needed and recede when not in use. This reduces the visual complexity, helping you focus on your work. Even the colours,  icons in the dock and the curves of window corners are redefined.

Perhaps, the biggest changes in macOS Big Sur are improvements to apps such as Safari, Messages and Maps. macOS Big Sur brings a update to Safari, the largest since 2003. It is now, faster and includes design tweaks. Safari can now load frequently visited websites faster than Chrome. The browser has a customizable start page, a bunch of Safari extensions and improved tab design. If you have multiple tabs open, you can simply hover the mouse over these tabs for a quick preview of what’s inside. In terms of privacy, Safari uses the Intelligent Tracking Prevention system to identify and prevent trackers from accessing your data. You can even view a weekly privacy report with details of Safari protecting your browsing history and personal information.  

The Messages app for Mac gets an update too. macOS Big Sur offer tools to express yourself and manage important conversations. You can now pin chat conversations at the top of the conversation list and the best part is, these conversations can sync across devices such as the iPhone and iPad.

Apple lets you express yourself in several ways. You can use default stickers or create your own memojis on the Mac to match your personality and mood. Creating your avatar is easy. You can choose between different hairstyles, makeup, glasses and hats. These avatars can be used as a profile photo if needed. There are balloons, cakes, smileys and more emojis to choose from. It is usually difficult to keep a track of replies in a group conversation, but it is now possible to streamline group conversations using Inline Replies. This lets you reply to a specific message in a conversation, which automatically starts a new thread under the original reply. You can even direct a message to specific people in a group by simply typing their names.

Apple Maps is used by millions of people. Apple Maps now comes with a broader coverage, while also making better use of bigger displays. Also, they are new ways to navigate and research destinations. For example, with the Create Guides feature, you can discover and create custom guides for new places to eat, shop and explore. These curated guides can be shared with your friends and family when planning a trip or vacation. There is another interesting feature called, Look Around that gives you a 360-degree view of a place and detailed indoor maps for shopping malls and major airports. One of the interesting updates is that Apple Maps can now let you plan and route cycling and electric vehicle trips on a Mac. It can also be accessed through your iPhone when you are ready for a road trip.     

Privacy and security are at the core for Apple, and macOS Big Sur lets users take control of their own privacy. Users now have transparency over their browsing history and personal details they share. The new privacy terms in the Mac App Store gives detailed information about privacy practices of apps before downloading them. The information includes data collected by apps, contact information, location and whether it is shared with third-party trackers.

In addition, there are minor updates to Siri, which let you find answers to a broader set of questions. AirPods can automatically switch between active devices and HomeKit offers secure video notifications. MacOS Big Sur will be available as a public beta for Mac users this month at beta.apple.com. Here is a list of devices if you want to know your devices can run macOS Big Sur.