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Cupertino, California – As expected, Apple used the platform at its WWDC 2022 keynote to reveal upcoming features and changes to macOS in the platform’s next major software update, macOS 13 Ventura.
The main lining feature in Ventura is a new multitasking interface called Stage Manager. Described as a way to combat window clutter on a crowded desktop – enter Stage Manager mode, and one of your windows floats to the center of the screen, pushing your other windows into a zipped navigation bar to the left of the screen. Click a different application window on the left, and it will move to the middle of the screen, entering the application you were using before in the navigation column.
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Spotlight also gets some useful updates on quality of life, adding the ability to Quick Look search results directly from the Spotlight window, and the ability to run shortcuts from within Spotlight. Safari picks up the ability to share groups of tabs with other users, allowing all users to add and remove tabs. The browser also adds a FIDO-compliant security technology called PassKeys, which aims to replace passwords with cryptographically generated keys that sync between devices using iCloud Keychain. Sites that support passkeys can be opened using TouchID or FaceID.
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Apple’s cross-device continuity features have also been updated. FaceTime calls can be delivered seamlessly between different Macs and iDevices, while Continuity Camera lets you use the iPhone as a webcam (the iPhone’s LED can be used as a timer ring light). The Continuity Camera supports Center Stage and Portrait Mode effects as well, although it is assumed that it requires newer iPhones with hardware that supports these features.
Other features include a redesigned System Preferences app, now called Settings, which makes it more closely aligned with the Settings app in iOS and iPadOS. The Messages app also picks up new features Apple added to iOS 16, including the ability to edit and unsend recently sent messages, and a feature to mark as unread for threads.
macOS 13 Ventura will be launched later this year. The first beta should be available to developers today, and the public beta will follow in the next few weeks.
The WWDC keynote from Apple is still ongoing, and this article will be updated with new details as we have it. You can follow in real time with our live blog over here.