Deviation Actions
Description
Today, we’re going to see the future of iOS, Mac OS X, and how they work seamlessly work together, as well as a special section of the presentation for a “huge” release for developers.
Craig Federighi introduced the latest version of Mac OS X: Yosemite. It has a new interface, enhancements to popular apps, and a new feature called continuity. OS X began with the “Aqua” design, which has evolved into what we now see in Mavericks. Yosemite is a continuation of this evolution, Federighi explains.
OS X Yosemite
Everything from the toolbars to window construction has been adjusted. Windows and the dock are now translucent. So is FaceTime, contacts, and reminders, making them less intrusive on your desktop experience. App icons have been redesigned as well. Apple updated the typography—it looks more modern, more iOS-like. There is also a dark mode for windows and the dock.
Notification Center has that dark translucent background, and now the “Today” view can be expanded with widget information from your favorite apps. It’s very Google Now-like, providing you an assortment of useful information at a glance, on the righthand side of the screen.
Apple continued to absorb popular third-party app functionality too, with OS X Yosemite. Namely, that of Dropbox and Alfred. With Spotlight, you tap the magnifying glass to pull up a larger search bar in the center of the screen. You can search and open apps, pull up reminders and calendar events, or search information on Wikipedia or the web. Maps is also accessible from Spotlight—you can search for sushi, and get map information, results from Yelp, and more. If you search for a movie, it gives you movie location and ticket information when applicable, as well as information about availability in the iTunes Store.
ICloud Drive is a new addition to iCloud, a new file storage system that syncs your files automatically across all of your Macs and iOS devices (and Windows, too!). It’s kind of like Dropbox, with files organized in folders inside.
Next, Mail Drop, which lets you send attachments, up to 5 GB in size, encrypted. And with Markup, you can edit files you write in the email and send them back on their way—super handy if you need to sign a PDF form and send it to a contact.
Safari Updates
The Safari navigation bar has also been redesigned. The search field (integrated into the URL field now) offers a drop down menu for your most often viewed sites. There is also now a tab view, which offers an at-a-glance view of each tab (stacked according to site). You can also now have a single private tab when you have more discreet browsing needs. Safari has been updated so that now, you get 2 hours better battery life streaming 1080p video on Netflix on a MacBook Air than before. Its Javascript compiler has also been improved so its 6.5 times faster than before.
When you’re using Safari, if you type in something and hit return, you’re taken to Google results. Or, you you can pull up one of a set of prepopulated results in a drop down menu, including Wikipedia results for whatever you’re searching for. To share an article, you can use a new “recent recipients” feature to share an image you found on a website super easily. When you use markup on a photo in an email, it can recognize that you’re drawing an arrow at an object, or a speech bubble, and it replaces your drawn symbols with more professional looking ones.
Continuity
Federighi also introduced Continuity, a big part of which is that Airdrop now works between iOS and the Mac. And now, if you’re working on something on a Mac, you can pick up right where you left off on your iPad, or vice versa. This is called “Handoff.” This works even if you’re composing an email — it remembers where you are on one device, so you can complete it right where you left off on another. This, we’re really excited about.
Messages has also been updated, and Voice calls — you can now receive calls on your Mac, using it as a speakerphone. It works if your phone is all the way across the house on a charger. You can also dial from your Mac. If you see a number on a webpage, you can call it, right from your desktop.
OS X Yosemite is available as a developer preview today. Everyone else can get it in the fall as a free download. But, non developers can get early access to the beta program as well by signing up on Apple’s website.