Apple Introduces macOS Mojave – Major Update Adds Dark Mode, New Mac Apps and an All-New Mac App Store
Apple today previewed macOS Mojave, the latest version of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, with new features inspired by pros but designed for everyone. In macOS Mojave, a new Dark Mode transforms the desktop with a dramatic new look that puts the focus on user content. The new Stacks feature organises messy desktops by automatically stacking files into neat groups. Familiar iOS apps, including News, Stocks, Voice Memos and Home, are now available on the Mac for the first time. FaceTime now adds support for group calling, and the Mac App Store gets a full redesign featuring rich editorial content and the addition of apps from top developers, including Microsoft, Adobe and others.
“macOS Mojave is a major update that introduces powerful new features for a wide range of Mac users, from consumers to pros,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “Dark Mode brings a dramatic new look to macOS that puts your content front and center, familiar iOS apps come to the Mac for the first time and the redesigned Mac App Store makes finding new apps easier and more enjoyable than ever.”
Dark Mode
macOS Mojave users can switch to Dark Mode to transform their desktop to a darkened colour scheme, putting the focus on user content while controls recede into the background. Users can toggle between a light and dark desktop, and built-in Mac apps like Mail, Messages, Maps, Calendar and Photos all include Dark Mode designs. macOS Mojave also features a new Dynamic Desktop that automatically changes the desktop picture to match the time of day. An API is available so developers can implement Dark Mode in their apps.
Desktop and Finder
Stacks for the desktop can organise even the most cluttered of desktops by automatically stacking files into neat groups based on file type. Users can customise their Stacks to sort based on other file attributes like date and tags. Finder also gets a significant update in macOS Mojave with an all-new Gallery View that lets users skim through files visually. The Preview Pane now shows all of a file’s metadata, making it easier to manage media assets. Quick Actions allow users to do things like create and password-protect PDFs and run custom Automator Actions on files right from Finder. Quick Look provides a fast, full-size preview of a file, allowing users to rotate and crop images, mark up PDFs and trim video and audio clips without ever opening an app.
News, Stocks, Voice Memos and Home
In macOS Mojave, handy apps including News, Stocks, Voice Memos and Home are now available on Mac for the first time. In the News app articles, photos and videos look great on the Mac display and users can follow their favorite publications from one app. With Home, Mac users can control their HomeKit-enabled accessories to do things like turn lights off and on or adjust thermostat settings without ever having to step away from their computer. Voice Memos makes it easy to record personal notes, lectures, meetings, interviews and song ideas, and access them from iPhone, iPad or Mac. Stocks delivers curated market news alongside a personalised watchlist, complete with quotes and interactive charts.
Group FaceTime
Group FaceTime makes it easy to chat with multiple people at the same time. Participants can be added at any time, join later if the conversation is still active and choose to join using video or audio from an iPhone, iPad or Mac — or even participate using FaceTime audio from Apple Watch.
All-New Mac App Store
Since its launch in 2011, the Mac App Store has transformed the way users download and install software for the Mac, and today it remains the single largest catalog of Mac apps in the world. In macOS Mojave, the Mac App Store gets a complete redesign with a new look and rich editorial content that makes it easy to find the right Mac app. The new design highlights new and updated apps in the Discover tab, while tabs for Create, Work, Play and Develop help users find apps for a specific project or purpose. A number of apps from top developers are also coming soon to the Mac App Store, including Office from Microsoft, Lightroom CC from Adobe and more. As always, users can download apps from the Mac App Store with confidence that Apple has approved them for safety and security.
Privacy and Security
As with all Apple software updates, enhanced privacy and security remain a top priority in macOS Mojave. In Safari, enhanced Intelligent Tracking Prevention helps block social media “Like” or “Share” buttons and comment widgets from tracking users without permission. Safari now also presents simplified system information when users browse the web, preventing them from being tracked based on their system configuration. Safari now also automatically creates, autofills and stores strong passwords when users create new online accounts and flags reused passwords so users can change them. New data protections require apps to get user permission before using the Mac camera and microphone or accessing personal data like user Mail history and Messages database.
Sneak Peak of Developer Framework for Mac Apps
The News, Stocks, Voice Memos and Home apps were brought to Mac using iOS frameworks that have been adapted to macOS. Starting in late 2019, these additional frameworks will make it easier for developers to bring their iOS apps to macOS — providing new opportunities for developers and creating more apps for Mac users to enjoy.
Other New Features
— Screenshots deliver new on-screen controls for easy access to every screenshot option and new video recording capabilities. A streamlined workflow enables easy screenshot sharing without cluttering the desktop.
— Continuity Camera allows Mac users to take a picture or scan a document nearby with their iPhone or iPad and have it appear instantly on their Mac.
— Markup tools are now integrated into Finder, Quick Look and Screenshots, making it fast and efficient to add comments to content and share with others.
Availability
The developer preview of macOS Mojave is available to Apple Developer Program members at developer.apple.com starting today, and a public beta program will be available to Mac users in late June at beta.apple.com. macOS Mojave will be available this fall as a free software update for Macs introduced in mid-2012 or later, plus 2010 and 2012 Mac Pro models with recommended Metal-capable graphics cards. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For more information, visit http://apple.com/uk/macos/mojave.
Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter is a British photography journalist, editor, curator, and the founder of *TheAppWhisperer.com*, one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to mobile photography and art. Since its launch in 2009, TheAppWhisperer has become an international hub for artists of all levels to discover, learn, exhibit, and engage with contemporary photographic practice.Built on principles of inclusivity, accessibility, and artistic excellence, Joanne has spent almost two decades championing mobile photography as a serious artistic medium. Through interviews, critical essays, exhibitions, competitions, and education, she has helped shape and document the evolution of mobile art on a global scale.Her work has taken her internationally, lecturing on photography and mobile art at institutions and events including the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea, alongside appearances in the UK and Europe. She has served as a juror for international photography and mobile art awards across Portugal, Canada, the United States, South Korea, Italy, and the UK.Joanne is also the founder of *TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com*, one of the first online galleries dedicated exclusively to collectible mobile art, connecting artists with collectors across Europe, the United States, and Asia.Before founding TheAppWhisperer, Joanne worked extensively in print journalism and photographic publishing, including roles at a paparazzi photo agency and as deputy editor of a leading photography magazine. Her freelance journalism, criticism, and commentary have been published widely in both the UK and the US, with bylines in *The Times*, *The Sunday Times*, *The Guardian*, *Popular Photography*, *NikonPro*, *DPReview*, *Which?*, *Vogue Italia*, *LensCulture*, the *BBC*, and more recently, the *Financial Times*, where her published letters on photography continue to contribute to wider conversations around the medium.Alongside her editorial and curatorial work, Joanne’s own photographic practice has been exhibited internationally across the UK, Europe, South Korea, and the United States. Her work increasingly explores themes of grief, loss, death, memory, and the body.Her current research interests centre on grief, death, and poverty, with forthcoming postgraduate study leading towards doctoral research in these areas.Joanne is currently developing new long-form writing and photographic projects and is available for commissions, editorial projects, speaking engagements, and collaborations.Contact: joannetheappwhisperer@gmail.com)
