macOS Sonoma was announced at last year's WWDC event and turned out to be my favorite macOS update - and I expect to see another new version of Apple’s desktop operating system, namely macOS 15, at WWDC 2024.
Apple’s biggest competitor, Microsoft, has jumped head first into the AI race and implemented a plethora of AI-powered features and somewhat helpful tools like Copilot, alongside sprinkling in features throughout the operating system. Even Chromebook Plus laptops are reaping the benefits of Google Gemini. It’s about time Apple finally stepped into the AI race and showcased what it's got.
You may know by now that the company is rarely the ‘first’ at something - Apple will play the long game and watch before deciding to take on-board a new feature, in an attempt to produce the most perfect version of it. While we knew Apple wouldn’t be rushing to slap some AI into its Macs, we’re pretty certain we will see a fair amount of AI at this year's WWDC.
So, with that in mind, let’s look at the top prospects for feature additions to macOS 15 that we might just catch at WWDC 2024.
Finally a change to the System Settings
Perhaps the most exciting potential move will be a refresh of the menus and apps in macOS 15, with the System Settings rumored to see the biggest change. If you’ve been a long-time Apple user (or use multiple Apple products) you’re probably very familiar with the Settings menu layout, so perhaps a fresh coat of paint will add to the feeling of novelty that comes with an operating system update.
According to Apple Insider, respective settings will be sorted by priority and importance. So, for example, notifications and sound settings will be lower down the list, whereas general settings will be higher (right underneath network settings). A source seemingly involved with these changes told Apple Insider that wallpaper and display settings will also be shifted and no longer have their own section but will be merged in with other options.
To add my own speculation, I believe there could be a dedicated section in the Settings menu for AI-related feature management in time. I don’t think we’ll see something like this right from the OS's launch, but I do think Apple will be laying the groundwork with macOS 15 to introduce a Copilot-esque assistant, hopefully by giving Siri a massive boost. Speaking of which…
A smarter Siri and more AI
After plenty of hoping, I’m pretty certain we’re going to see a complete transformation with Siri. While Apple’s assistant may not be at the level of ChatGPT’s voice capabilities, I do expect Siri to have a bit more of an active role besides setting timers.
That said, we’re likely to see a more beefed-up version of Siri on iOS before macOS, but we can use those iOS rumors to possibly glean what might eventually make its way onto our Macs. According to the most recent iOS 18 rumors, Siri will have deeper app integration, allowing the virtual assistant to control what your phone apps can do, move files around, email documents, and more.
We can guess that Apple may transfer those skills over to the Mac once they’ve landed on the iPhone. I don’t think we’ll see all the features transferred over, but it would be interesting to see what Siri could do on a powerful M3 MacBook with a new macOS!
Tom’s Guide notes that at a shareholder event, Tim Cook claimed Apple will “break new ground in generative AI” this year, which has me buzzing about the upcoming WWDC event. Though it seems like iOS 18 has a lot more potential features on the way (or at the very least, more information is swirling around than macOS), we’re certain the generative AI love will be passed onto Macs.
These AI features will undoubtedly take advantage of the powerful M-series chips, which should be good news for AI enthusiasts who’ve been waiting for Apple to jump into the race. We already know the M3 Max and M3 Pro chips are very powerful processors, so it’ll be exciting to see what these features will look like with access to all that raw processing power.
Overall, as a fan of Sonoma and all its new features, I am really excited about a new version of macOS. We still know very little about macOS 15, as macOS updates seem to be cards played closer to Apple’s chest compared to iOS. So, while I can only sit here and hope to see a better Settings layout and an improved Siri, I’ll have to wait and see until WWDC itself to find out what Apple’s got planned.
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