WWDC 2023: Apple announces macOS Sonoma! Check out the amazing new features

One of the most-awaited moments for Apple fans is here. At the keynote session of WWDC 2023, Apple has announced the release of macOS Sonoma. Apple has announced a number of upgrades and fancy new features that users will find useful as well as entertaining, helping raise productivity in interesting ways. At the event, Apple has also announced the release of iOS 17, iPadOS 17, which are expected to change users' iPhone experience in a number of ways. Read here to find out what's in there for you.

Apple today unveiled the macOS Sonoma, the latest version of the desktop operating system, bringing a rich set of features that elevate the Mac experience. Screen savers and powerful widgets unlock an entirely new way to personalise. Users can now place widgets right on the desktop, interact with them with just a click, and through Continuity, access the extensive ecosystem of iPhone widgets on their Mac.

In macOS Sonoma, video conferencing also gets more engaging with great new features to help users present remotely, like Presenter Overlay, which places a presenter on top of the content being shared, and Reactions, which enables fun gesture-triggered video effects in cinematic quality. Significant updates come to Safari, taking the web experience to the next level.

Profiles keeps browsing separate between multiple topics or projects, and web apps provide faster access to favourite sites. And gaming gets even better, with the introduction of Game Mode, exciting new titles, and a new game porting toolkit that makes it even easier for developers to bring more games to Mac.

“macOS is the heart of the Mac, and with Sonoma, we’re making it even more delightful and productive to use,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “It enables users to personalise with widgets and stunning new screen savers, see new levels of gaming performance, and gain powerful productivity for video conferencing and browsing with Safari.”

Interactive Widgets

Widgets are now even more powerful and personal on Mac. Users can place widgets right on the desktop and conveniently access the widget gallery to find the ones they know and love.

Video Conferencing

macOS Sonoma brings enhanced video conferencing features that enable users to present and share their work more effectively within any video conferencing app.

Major Updates to Safari

Safari, the world’s fastest browser, introduces new features to enhance the browsing experience for Mac users. This year brings a significant update to Private Browsing, which provides even greater protection during browsing both from trackers and from people who might have access to the user’s device.

New Screen Savers

macOS Sonoma brings stunning screen savers featuring slow-motion videos of various locations worldwide, such as the sweeping skyline of Hong Kong, the sandstone buttes of Monument Valley in Arizona, and the rolling hills of Sonoma in Northern California.

Games on Mac Get Even Better

With the power of Apple silicon, users experience incredible graphics performance on every Mac. And now, tens of millions of Macs with Apple silicon can run demanding games with great performance, long battery life, and breathtaking visuals. Developers continue to take advantage of Metal 3, bringing exciting new titles to Mac, including DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT, Stray, Fort Solis, World of Warcraft: Dragonflight, HUMANKIND, Resident Evil Village: Winters’ Expansion, The Medium, ELEX II, Firmament, SnowRunner, Disney Dreamlight Valley, No Man’s Sky, Dragonheir: Silent Gods, and Layers of Fear.

Additional macOS Sonoma updates include:

Streamlined PDFs: Enhanced PDF functionality allows for quick form-filling with AutoFill, and smart recipient recommendations.

Inline PDFs in Notes: Notes now displays PDFs and document scans in full width, and with linked notes, users can quickly connect related notes like recipes or homework.

Siri: Users have the ability to simply say “Siri” to activate Siri. 3

Passwords: Users can now create a group to share a set of passwords. Everyone in a group can add and edit passwords to keep them up to date, and since sharing is through iCloud Keychain, it’s end-to-end encrypted. Additionally, the one-time verification codes received in Mail will now autofill in Safari, making it easy to securely log in without leaving the browser.

Messages: Users can connect with those closest to them with an all-new stickers experience, enhancements to features like search, reply, groups, and syncing with Messages in iCloud.

Reminders: Intelligent grocery lists in Reminders streamline weekly trips to the store. Additionally, users can organise lists into sections and arrange them horizontally using a new column view.

Keyboard: An all-new autocorrect makes corrections more accurate and easier to fix. Inline completions help users quickly finish sentences, while Dictation brings accuracy improvements through next-level speech recognition.

Privacy and Safety: Communication Safety expands to AirDrop, the Photos picker, incoming calls, and FaceTime messages, further broadening protections for children. Additionally, Sensitive Content Warning prevents unexpected exposure to sensitive images and videos in AirDrop and Messages, incoming calls, and FaceTime messages, while giving the user the option to block the contact or seek further resources for help.