macOS Catalina: practical with the best new features and modifications for Mac [Video] – 9to5Mac

This week marked the launch of the final pillar of Apple’s operating system update for 2019. Of course, I’m referring to macOS 10.15 Catalina, the follow-up to the release of macOS Mojave last year.

macOS Catalina is a great new update for Mac users, bringing many new conveniences for end users, as well as new technologies that allow developers to bring their iPad apps to the Mac. Needless to say, macOS Catalina is packed with new changes and features, so be sure to watch our step-by-step video guide and subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for many new Mac videos to come.

Catalyst applications

One of the biggest new changes to macOS is the availability of Catalyst applications from third-party developers. This means that, for the first time on macOS, developers can easily transfer their iPad applications to the Mac. It gives way to a multitude of interesting new applications on Mac.

An example of this Catalyst application is Carrot Weather, a main iOS application that is finally available on the Mac, thanks to Apple, which makes it easier for developers to port their applications.

The list of Catalysts apps available on the Mac App Store is small at the moment, but expect the list to grow quickly as more apps are approved for sale in the middle of the official Catalina launch.

MacOS Catalina New Features Video

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Sidecar

One of the most exciting new improvements to macOS Catalina is Sidecar, a new technology that lets you use an iPad to extend your desktop or as a tablet input device for your Mac with Apple Pencil. Sidecar works both wired and wireless (within 10 meters of your Mac).

As you can imagine, such a feature is perfect for MacBook Pro users on the go who want a second screen. Such a configuration would previously have been difficult, if not downright impossible, but with Sidecar, it is now easy to connect a second screen to your Mac wirelessly.

I found Sidecar to be great for editing videos in the recently updated Final Cut Pro X. Now I can view my timeline on my iPad, which allows for a larger viewer on my main Mac screen. Other applications, such as Affinity Photo, provide direct 1: 1 input via Apple Pencil, which is great for touching up photos or painting with the brush tool.

Markup and continuity sketch

Continuity Sketch is a handy feature that lets you insert sketches directly from your iPad or iPhone on your Mac. You can also launch continuity markup via macOS Quick Look to annotate PDF files and images. Just press the space bar while selecting a compatible file on Mac, then click the Annotate tool in the Quick View window to choose your destination iOS device.

Security and privacy enhancements

macOS Catalina offers a large number of security and confidentiality improvements aimed at protecting your data. In the Security and Privacy preference panel, you will find new permissions for access control settings for functions such as screen recording, file and folder access, entry monitoring, and voice recognition. .

Beyond these changes, you will find a new method of authentication with your Apple Watch in macOS Catalina. A single double press on the side button of a paired Apple Watch allows users to avoid entering their passwords manually to authenticate themselves with macOS.

Activation lock

macOS now offers Activation Lock, a protection that iPad and iPhone users have enjoyed for some time. The activation lock allows only verified users to erase and reactivate your Mac. In other words, if your Mac is stolen, it makes Macs compatible with the T2 security chip nothing more than a large clipboard until the proper credentials are verified.

Apple Arcade

The last time we browsed macOS Catalina, Apple Arcade was still baking. We got quick access to a few titles still in the works, but that doesn’t do anything compared to the full Apple Arcade experience we have today.

Apple Arcade on Mac includes many of the same titles available on other platforms such as iOS, iPadOS and Apple TV. The great thing about Apple Arcade is that your progress syncs with iCloud, so you can easily resume and start playing where you left off on any platform, including Mac.

Besides strong titles like What The Golf, Sneaky Sasquatch, and many others, what is wonderful with Apple Arcade is that it is completely ad-free and totally devoid of paid purchase systems to win in the application. With Apple Arcade, everything rightly turns to games.

Standalone Music Application

In macOS Catalina, iTunes is no longer. In its place are three standalone apps illustrated by the all-new Music app. The Music app in macOS Catalina is mainly centered on Apple Music, the popular music streaming service of the people of Cupertino.

Like the Music app on iOS, the macOS version lets you stream and download music, listen to playlists, radio stations, and more. All of your playlists and music from the iCloud music library will automatically appear in the macOS Music app.

One of the great qualities of the standalone Music app is that it lacks the unnecessary bloating previously associated with iTunes. The Music app is super-fast, because it’s one and only thing: The music.

Standalone podcast app

Podcasts on the Mac have long been accessible through iTunes, but in macOS Catalina podcasts are promoted in a big way. A new standalone Podcast app is available in macOS Catalina and syncs with the Podcasts app on your iOS devices.

Like the standalone Music app, the big advantage of having a dedicated Podcasts app is that it only focuses on playing podcast episodes.

Standalone TV application

Besides music, podcasts, and a host of other features, iTunes was also responsible for downloading and managing movies and TV shows. It’s no surprise that the third pillar of iTunes offspring is none other than the TV app, a centralized place for all your iTunes movies and TV shows, but also the place to stream content from services like HBO , CBS, EPIX, and of course Apple’s next Apple TV + streaming service.

Pictures

Building on the excellent update of the Photos app on iOS and iPadOS, the Photos app found in macOS Catalina offers a much better user experience with the new Photos tab.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t sound like the awesome new video editing features in the Photos app that have made their way from iOS, but Apple may be thinking that we should stick with iMovie or Final Cut Pro X for video editing on Mac.

Remarks

The updated Notes app offers a whole new gallery view to make it easier to find specific notes. You’ll also find the ability to share folders for easy group collaboration. In addition to these changes, a new checklist feature makes it easier to move completed items down a checklist, and you can now reorder items in a list using convenient drag and drop.

Reminders

The Reminders app received a substantial upgrade on iOS and iPadOS, completely rebuilt from scratch. Mac users will be delighted to discover similar changes in macOS Catalina, paving the way for a more useful Reminders application experience.

A new smart list feature will automatically organize your reminders into scheduled, marked, and upcoming reminders, while new Quick Edit and Siri buttons make it easy to create reminder entries.

Safari

Safari users will find a brand new start page that will give you quick access to frequently visited websites and favorites. Siri is even more active in macOS Catalina, automatically suggesting bookmarks, iCloud tabs, playlist links, and even links that you receive through Messages.

Screen time

After an exclusive appearance last year on iOS, Screen Time makes its way to the Mac in macOS Catalina. Screen Time, which aims to give users a better overview of how they spend their time in front of the computer, allows you to easily monitor usage, plan downtime and even set limits for applications and websites. Best of all, these settings sync across all your iCloud compatible devices.

Find my

A brand new Find My app combines Find My Friends and Find My Mac in a single app interface. You can now track your devices and friends through the same app.

With Bluetooth frequencies detectable by nearby Macs, the new Find My app can help locate your Mac, even when it’s offline and in standby. The end-to-end encrypted data is then reported anonymously to iCloud so that you can locate a lost Mac via the Find My app.

Voice command

The new voice control feature found in iOS 13 can also be found in MacOS Catalina. Voice control lets you easily navigate and control your Mac using just your voice. Watch our video above for a brief demonstration of how it works.

Catalina Dynamic Wallpaper

As is usually the case with new operating system updates, there is a nice new wallpaper included. This year’s new wallpaper features Catalina Island, the namesake for macOS version 10.15. The new Catalina wallpaper is also dynamic, changing throughout the day to reflect the current time.

Taking 9to5Mac

MacOS Catalina is a feature-rich update that provides great help with new changes to the Mac. Sidecar’s presence is nice for mobile workflows where it is difficult to find an additional screen. Sidecar is particularly effective for 13-inch MacBook Pro users when paired with a 12.9-inch iPad Pro. It’s a great feature for those who edit photos and videos while on the go.

Another of my favorite features is the ability to authenticate to your Mac via Apple Watch. Since the Mac doesn’t have Face ID and desktop Macs don’t have Face ID or Touch ID, being able to authenticate quickly with a double press of the Apple Watch side button is a key-saver .

While there are good examples of Catalyst apps, I’m still not entirely convinced that iPad apps run on Macs using Apple’s so-called Xcode one-click solution. Many of the Catalyst applications I have tried seemed strange, with strange design paradigms that did not lend themselves well to cursor entry. I realize it’s still very early, so I’m going to give Catalyst and the apps it makes possible time to mature.

What do you think of the new features in macOS Catalina? Describe below in the comments with your thoughts, observations and opinions.

Don’t miss our other new launch content from Apple OS on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch

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