Apple Just Unveiled macOS 15 Sequoia
A major desktop upgrade is on the way, and it includes iPhone mirroring and window snapping.
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It's been a busy WWDC 2024 keynote, and among the announcements Apple has confirmed that macOS 15 is arriving this year: It's called macOS Sequoia, and it comes with a host of new features across window layouts, device syncing, and Mac gaming.
One of the more notable features is the ability to snap windows to the side or the corner of the screen. This has previously been an option in third-party apps, such as Magnet, but this will be the first time it's been available as a native feature: Just drag an open app window toward an edge or corner to see a guide. (Yes, you can already do this in Windows.)
Also of note is a new iPhone mirroring feature, an extension of Apple's existing Continuity features, and it does exactly what it sounds like: As long as your iPhone is nearby, you can mirror its screen to macOS and even interact with apps and notifications, leaving your handset in your pocket or your bag. Your actual iPhone remains locked while you interact with it on your Mac screen.
Apple also demoed other features, including the ability to replace backgrounds while using FaceTime, a brand new password management app (which is also coming to iPhones and iPads), and numerous improvements to Safari, including website summaries and smart links out to other resources (like TV shows or music).
Gaming upgrades
macOS Sequoia will also get some substantial gaming upgrades on the developer side, Apple says. A new Game Porting Toolkit 2 will make it easier to transfer Windows games to Mac, with improved compatibility and additional debugging tools to iron out any problems along the way.
A bunch of new games are heading to macOS to take advantage of these features, Apple says, including Control, Sniper Elite 4, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and Assassin's Creed Shadows—some of these titles have been widely available on other platforms for some time, of course, but now they're coming to the Mac too.
In addition, the next macOS is getting some of the same features as iOS 18: curated hikes and walking routes in Apple Maps, for example, and text effects in Messages that help you be even more expressive in conversations.
No doubt more details of the desktop operating system will emerge in the days and weeks ahead: a developer beta for macOS Sequoia is available now, with a public beta coming in July. The full release is scheduled for "the fall," so it should be around September time, if Apple sticks to its usual schedule.
This is a developing story. Apple's WWDC keynote is currently ongoing, with the WWDC conference set to last through June 14. Lifehacker will update this story with relevant information as it is announced.