Apple’s annual operating system refresh is here, and macOS Sonoma is now available in public beta. While this year’s update might seem modest compared to previous iterations, it still offers some intriguing features worth exploring. So, the question remains: should you upgrade your Mac? This review delves into the key updates, highlighting the good, the bad, and the potential of macOS Sonoma.
Craig Federighi introducing macOS Sonoma at ApplemacOS Sonoma introduction at Apple Event. (Source: Apple)
The relatively minor feature set in macOS Sonoma is likely due to Apple’s significant investment in the Vision Pro headset and its visionOS operating system. This demanding project understandably diverted resources from other platforms. Nevertheless, macOS Sonoma offers some noteworthy enhancements.
Reimagining the Desktop Experience
Just like Apple’s presentation, let’s begin with the screen savers. macOS Sonoma introduces dynamic video screen savers that seamlessly transition from your desktop wallpaper. As the screen saver activates, the video expands from the wallpaper image, showcasing stunning landscapes, cityscapes, or cosmic scenes. Upon deactivation, the video smoothly returns to a still image, updating your wallpaper to reflect the final frame. While perhaps a gimmick, it’s a visually appealing one.
ApplemacOS Sonoma’s new screensavers. (Source: Apple)
Widgets have also received a significant overhaul, finally breaking free from the Notification Center to reside directly on the desktop. While the implementation has some room for improvement, the potential is clear. A helpful alignment grid appears when positioning multiple widgets, enabling precise placement. The real power of these widgets lies in their interactivity. You can now directly interact with widgets, checking off reminders or launching shortcuts without opening the corresponding app. This seemingly small change significantly enhances efficiency.
A widget being moved into place in macOS Sonoma. The placement grid is shown beneath the widget.Interactive widgets on the desktop in macOS Sonoma. (Source: MaagX)
Apple has promised support for third-party widgets and the ability to sync widgets from iOS devices, features not yet functional in the current beta. Another welcome addition is the ability to natively convert websites into desktop apps, a feature previously reliant on third-party applications. While useful for web apps and games, it’s less practical for websites primarily used for browsing.
Enhanced Video Conferencing with FaceTime
macOS Sonoma introduces several improvements to FaceTime, although some touted features, like enhanced Continuity Camera controls, remain absent in the current beta. One notable addition is Video Reactions, which uses hand gestures to trigger augmented reality effects during video calls. While fun and engaging, these effects can be slow to load.
Video reactions in macOS Sonoma, with the balloons effect in use.FaceTime Video Reactions in macOS Sonoma. (Source: Alex Blake / MaagX)
Presenter Mode overlays your video feed onto shared content during screen sharing, offering options to position the content behind you or within a small bubble. While promising, this feature still exhibits some rough edges, particularly with background separation. A dedicated FaceTime button in the menu bar streamlines access to controls, enhancing usability during calls.
Presenter mode in macOS Sonoma puts the content behind you in a FaceTime video call.FaceTime Presenter Mode in macOS Sonoma. (Source: Alex Blake / MaagX)
Minor Tweaks to Messages and Safari
The Messages app receives some long-overdue features, such as the ability to reply to messages with a left-to-right swipe. New message filters allow for more refined searches, although this functionality proved unreliable during testing. Live Stickers and Memoji are now consolidated under the App Store icon, a minor but welcome change.
Filters in the Messages app in macOS Sonoma.Message filters in macOS Sonoma. (Source: Apple)
Safari introduces Profiles, enabling users to create separate browsing environments with distinct extensions and bookmarks. While conceptually useful, the implementation could be smoother. Switching profiles currently requires opening a new window, potentially leading to desktop clutter.
Safari profiles in macOS Sonoma, showing a work profile and a studying profile next to each other.Safari Profiles in macOS Sonoma. (Source: Alex Blake / MaagX)
Gaming Enhancements with Game Mode
macOS Sonoma introduces Game Mode, designed to prioritize game performance by allocating more CPU and GPU resources and reducing latency for wireless accessories. Initial testing revealed minimal performance gains, but this feature may still be under development.
Game mode for macOS Sonoma.Game Mode in macOS Sonoma. (Source: Apple)
Additional Refinements and Conclusion
Other minor updates include enhancements to Notes and PDF handling. Notes now support hyperlinks between notes, while PDFs offer autofill for forms (currently non-functional in the beta) and improved scrolling within Notes. Password and passkey sharing is another promising feature, though plagued by bugs in the current beta.
The shared passwords introductory dialog box in macOS Sonoma.Password sharing in macOS Sonoma. (Source: Alex Blake / MaagX)
macOS 17 overview.macOS Sonoma overview. (Source: Apple)
macOS Sonoma is a modest upgrade, particularly in comparison to macOS Big Sur. While it offers some promising features, there’s little to generate significant excitement. Upgrading to the final release when available is recommended, but there’s no rush. This restrained update is understandable given the development effort dedicated to visionOS. While it may not be revolutionary, macOS Sonoma offers some valuable refinements to the Mac experience.
