macOS 12 New Features Predictions for WWDC 2021
Probably the second-most highly anticipated Apple event of the year is being hosted virtually on June 7, 2021 (the first is obviously the larger hardware event in September 2021.) Apple's WWDC21 will unveil, among other things, the new operating system for desktops. Hopefully, that will be the new macOS 12. That's the name everyone is assuming ever since the Cupertino giant took the leap from 10.x to 11.0 last year with the release of macOS 11 Big Sur. Big Sur is now in its fifth iteration as 11.5 (beta 2), but it is now time for the official launch of the latest OS version. Will macOS 12 new features blow Big Sur out of the water or will it be a different kind of great? Here's everything we hope to see in macOS 12.
- Part 1. What macOS 12 Features Do You Want to See?
- Part 2. 2021 macOS 12 New Features - Predictions or Wishlist Items?
- Part 3. The Best UI/UX Design and Prototyping Tool for macOS 12
What macOS 12 Features Do You Want to See?
That's the question we've asked a lot of people. Some of the answers were obvious, others not so much. On the whole, not everyone expects as long a feature list as we saw with Big Sur or even Catalina. Many experts and tech writers are saying that it will be more of a refinement of Big Sur capabilities in terms of being able to work with ARM architecture that the new Apple M1 chips use. Some take it one step further and say that macOS 12 will be designed for a far more powerful chip, the M2 (formerly known as the M1X), which will have 12 CPU cores and 16 GPU cores. The chips are already in mass production according to reports from the region, so it's likely that we'll see them in the new Mac hardware coming out later this year. As for macOS 12, it will need to be a lot lither and more mobile-friendly to match the blazing speeds and lightning-fast performance of a chip like the M2.
With that in mind, here are some macOS new features that we may well see.
2021 macOS 12 New Features - Predictions or Wishlist Items?
Replacement for the Touch Bar
The Touch Bar wasn't received as well as Apple hoped it would, but it did bring a range of shortcuts to the user that they will now miss if it goes away. That means macOS 12 will need to feature some sort of replacement where users can quickly access various tools.
Shortcuts App
An extension of that capability would be greater automation. Of course, the Automator takes care of a lot of this right now, but something like the Shortcuts app for iOS on macOS 12 would be really awesome.
UI Changes
Big Sur started the journey to cross-device unification with features like the Control Center that was more iOS than macOS, so we hope that macOS 12 will take the baton and run with it. We'd definitely like to see a merging of iOS and iPadOS elements with macOS iconography and functionality, minus the touch support, of course.
Security and Privacy
Security has become a major concern of late, so we expect Apple to become more aggressive with security patches on macOS 12. Privacy has always been important for Apple users so, perhaps, something on that front as well.
Control Center Customization
We'd definitely like to be able to remove what we don't need from the new Control Center that came with Big Sur. Remember that Stocks issue with iOS a few versions ago? It shouldn't be too hard for Apple to infuse a little flexibility into this feature.
Time for Time!
A Clock app on macOS that's similar to the versatile ones on iOS and iPadOS would be terrific as well. Of course, it will need to be well-integrated into macOS 12 and suited to desktop use but it's most certainly time we had some control over time on macOS!
Why No Health App Yet?
The health app would be very useful considering that nearly everyone has the option to work from home. The iPhone doesn't need to have exclusive rights to the Health app. It can offer great visibility into your oxygen saturation levels, especially when the novel coronavirus is still a looming threat in many countries around the world. This should have come with Big Sur but we hope Apple doesn't miss the bus again.
iCloud Backups for Time Machine
This has been a long-awaited feature on nearly every Mac user's wishlist. It would be great to have automatic backups stored on iCloud that are available to restore any time you need. While mobile devices have this feature, the desktop OS still lags in that respect.
Unlock Mac with iPhone
If a Chromebook can be unlocked with an Android device, why can't the same apply to a Mac and an iPhone? The feature works with Apple Watch, but aren't there a lot more iPhone users than Apple Watch users? What gives?
Planning a Touch-friendly Experience for Desktop Users
As Apple converges its desktop and mobile operating systems, it's logical to assume that new desktop hardware will eventually have touch support. This might not be as immediate as this year, but it would be interesting to see macOS 12 have the rudiments of being able to accept touch inputs. After all, the upcoming M2 is more a mobile processor than a desktop one so the technological hurdles are there anymore. Will macOS 12 have touch support? Likely not but it's worth throwing a penny in the wishing well anyway.
The Best UI/UX Design and Prototyping Tool for macOS 12
While we have your ear (or eye??), we'd like to ask you if your design platform is macOS 12-ready. Here are some questions that you can use to evaluate your current design and prototyping tool:
- Can it work on the browser so you can jump right into macOS 12 when it is released to the public?
- Does it have an extensive built-in library of components that are customizable?
- Does it have dynamic components that can show multiple states on a single screen?
- Is it easy to prototype - drag-and-drop action, editing gestures and transitions, etc.?
- Can you make vector drawings and edit them with advanced tools?
- Does it come with a flow chart utility to create user flows quickly and easily?
- Does it offer a gentle learning curve for new users?
- Can you co-edit with other designers, collaborate with project members, and hand off to developers with zero hassles?
- Can you easily share your prototypes and designs in a convenient and secure manner?
Wondershare Mockitt answers all these questions with a big YES! The cloud-based tool can be used right away on macOS 12. It comes with a vast library of assets that you can customize and share as team libraries. There are tons of templates, UI kits, and additional resources you can use. It's free for up to 3 projects and much more affordable to upgrade than most other premium design platforms. It is simple to use but comes with powerful flowcharting, designing, and prototyping features and tools. Most of all, you can slip into it like a pair of your most comfortable jeans in just seconds. That's how intuitive the interface and controls are.
Why not switch to Wondershare Mockitt and get more efficient alongside the launch of macOS 12 so you're more than ready when the production release comes in the fall of 2021?
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