Apple released the latest Big Sur version of its macOS operating system for its laptops and desktops on Monday, June 22, with a big emphasis on upgrading the web browser for Safari.
The announcement came during Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference 2020 (WWDC 2020), which was held for the first time because of the coronavirus pandemic as a virtual event.
Apple's macOS, which was first launched in 2001, run the computers: including the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iMac to the business. The hardware giant billed the Big Sur update as its biggest change in design since OS X first came out nearly 20 years ago. The new user interface has tweaks to the window corners curves, dock icons, and operating system colors.
Fresh look!
The most significant shift is the fresh look. According to Apple, Big Sur presents the biggest update since the launch of macOS 10. The latest operating system borrows a variety of features from Apple's iOS, including a customizable control center where you can adjust brightness, do not interrupt, and choose other settings.
Big Sur has a revamped notification center that holds all your notifications and widgets in one pane, sorts recent updates, and group-related notification notifications. As with their iOS counterparts, all interfaces are translucent.
Also, Apple did several other tweaks. The menu bar is broader and more transparent. The font color of the GUI varies depending on the screen background color, and the pull-down menus are wider with more space between them. You can pin the items to the top of the menu bar, which you use most. Windows are also more translucent, and the edges are more rounded.
Several apps, including Mail, Photos, Notes, and iWork, have received streamlined new designs. Apple also added a new search function to Messages, as well as inline replies, personalized icons, and @-sign mentions for group chats. You will be able to pin up to nine chats to the top of your conversation list, which also syncs through iOS and iPadOS messages.
More catalyst apps
Apple has also launched a range of new Catalyst applications, which will earn the latest look as well.
Dock buttons were also updated to look more similar to their iOS counterparts to "be more compatible with Apple's ecosystem icons while maintaining their Mac personality," Apple said. The dock itself would be removed from the bottom of the window and is more transparent (like the menu bar) than before.
The entire Big Sur experience feels more focused, fresh, and familiar, the tech giant said. "[It reduces] visual complexity and brings users' content front and center," Apple says.
Safer Safari
Safari has been updated to include a new privacy report button to let you see how websites track your data. The browser also has a dashboard to test if your passwords have been compromised in a security breach. The App Store is getting a new category for Safari extensions. It will allow you to tailor the sites and times each extension is used, instead of the entire time you surf online.
A customizable Safari start page lets you choose from a curated wallpaper community or use one of your own images. Included translation will also allow you to translate web pages from seven different languages.
Steve Jobs said years ago that MacOS served as the basis for iOS iPhone apps from Apple. Throughout the years, Apple has concentrated on developing its macOS apps and features that complemented its other devices to add greater unity to its different product families. This included adding more mobile-centric features, such as the iMessage email service, FaceTime video chat, and the App Store, which are available on iOS for the first time.
The Mac model was similar to the iPad in last year's Catalina MacOS update. One app, called Sidecar, allowed people to use the iPad while using their laptops as a second screen.
Another big change of functionality last year was iTunes' removal, which had been saturated with all sorts of apps and media styles. This was divided into several easier-to-use applications - including music, podcasts, television, and books.
