Apple's next major release of its Mac and MacBook operating system, macOS Catalina, will be released later this year (smart money is scheduled to launch in September), but now that Apple has released the public beta version of the software, to play with some new features. As with previous macOS updates, macOS 10.15 Catalina (to give it its full title) brings some really useful, fun, and exciting new features that will help change the way you use your Mac or MacBook. So, read on to find out what we think are the five best new features in macOS Catalina. If this prompts you to try out the operating system as soon as possible, check out our guide on how to download and install the macOS Catalina public beta.
The new Twitter app for Mac is based on the iOS version and was built in just a few days (Image credit: Twitter/Apple) (Image credit: Twitter/Apple)
1. iPad apps for Mac
This is our pick for the best new feature coming with macOS Catalina, mainly because of its huge potential. The App Store on iOS is home to thousands of brilliant apps, and developers can now port their apps over to macOS to run on Mac. This means you'll soon be able to see your favorite iPad and iPhone apps on macOS, bringing a host of new ones. tools to your Mac. These apps work natively on your Mac, which means they will look and behave exactly like other Mac apps, and not like an emulated iPad app nested on a Mac. Apple has made sure to iOS and macOS apps can run on the same code, making it easy for developers to port their app to both platforms simultaneously. Several iOS apps are already available on macOS, and we expect this number to grow rapidly.
Using Sidecar, you can use an iPad as a second screen (Image credit: TechRadar) (Image credit: Future)
2. Sidecar turns your iPad into a second screen.
Sidecar is another one of our favorite new features of macOS Catalina. This allows you to use an iPad as a second display next to your Mac, allowing you to effectively turn your iPad into an external monitor. So you can use it to extend your desktop and create more work space. You can drag the cursor between screens and open multiple apps on both screens. An additional cool feature is that when you use your iPad to view apps on your Mac, if your Mac supports Touch Bar, these commands appear at the bottom of the iPad screen, even if your Mac doesn't have a Touch Bar! You can also mirror the desktop, so your iPad displays the same content as your Mac. It's great for sharing information or giving impromptu presentations. If you have an Apple Pencil stylus, you can also use your iPad as a drawing pad for your Mac. So you can draw and sketch apps, and your work will appear on your Mac. Drag a document from your Mac to your iPad and you'll be able to write, mark up, and insert drawings from your iPad into documents on your Mac. All you have to do is click "Insert from iPad" and select "Add Sketch". A window will appear on your iPad. Draw or write on it, then click "Done" and it'll appear in your document on Mac. Best of all, Sidecar works with your iPad, whether you're connecting via cable or using it wirelessly—it just needs to be there. within 10 meters of your Mac.
Voice Control is one of the best new features in macOS Catalina (Image credit: Apple) (Image credit: Apple)
3. Voice control
Apple has done a commendable job of strengthening the accessibility tools in macOS Catalina, which means that more and more people can comfortably use their Macs. The most powerful new accessibility feature in macOS Catalina is voice control, which, as the name suggests, it allows you to control every aspect of your Mac through your voice. It is based on the Siri speech recognition engine. Therefore, all the latest advances in machine learning developed by Apple for its virtual assistant can be used for audio-to-text transcription on your Mac. By using your voice to write notes, you can use voice commands to edit the text to as you go, for example, to add capitalization, replace works (or entire lines), and select text. You can add custom words. Unlike text-to-speech software that downloads your recordings to the cloud, all voice control audio processing is done on your device, ensuring the privacy of your personal data. Voice control is also smart enough to know when you're dictating something and when you're executing commands. So, saying: "See you at home. Click Send »in the Messages application, simply type" Go Home "and then send the message. Applications, menus and more can be controlled with the new control tool voice. Apps can be divided into grids for full control. Voice gestures can replicate common mouse and trackpad gestures. While the other MacOS Catalina features on this list add some cool new features to your Mac or MacBook , the new voice control tool could change lives.
The Apple Music app is a great addition (Image credit: Apple) (Image credit: Apple)
4. The new music app.
When the news broke that Apple was killing iTunes and replacing it with four separate apps, few people mourned the loss of iTunes, but many of us wondered what the success of replacement apps would be like. After all, would replacing one (admittedly bloated) app with four separate apps make life easier or complicate things? The good news is that these new apps are seeing renewed interest. While iTunes had grown too eager to try everything, the new Music app has a unique vision for making it easy to import, buy, or stream music. Its interface is similar to iTunes, so you'll feel right at home, but a few tweaks have been made. For example, the Now Playing section displays lyrics while playing the song you're listening to. If you're an Apple Music subscriber, the service is now better integrated with the Music app.
The Apple TV app has a section dedicated to kids (Image credit: Apple) (Image credit: Apple)