5+ New Features Coming in macOS 27

[trusso]

I hate AI. Which isn't really AI, that's just the marketing name. I hate its awful output, I hate how it's being shoved down everyone's throats, and I hate its socio-economic impact that's continually hurting the vulnerable at the expense of the super-rich. AI can't die soon enough. Get it out of my system, get it out of my sight. NOW!

 

[Earwolf]

What is worse:

AI
Liquid Glass
Rosetta

 

[pbau]

Polish siri?

 

[mielie]

I hate Liquid Glass. Just like the notch, I've never met someone who loved it, most hate it and those that speak the highest of it could best be described as tolerating it.

I run Tahoe on my personal M2 MacBook Pro. I mainly use a work M3 Max that is still on Sequoia, I refuse to upgrade on the machine I spend all day working on because I feel the GUI is just that bad and I've never held back on a Mac OS upgrade before, starting with moving from 9 to 10!

Practically it doesn't work well on smaller screens (my reference is the 13" MacBook Pro), with elements of the OS UI taking up way too much space, leaving less for the actual app content.

I get that there is some pride at stake here, no doubt some of the people who created this pile of vomit are diversity hires who run around Apple Campus with rainbow lanyards and pronoun badges, and the last thing Apple wants to do is upset them, but to say that 'its not going anywhere' and to expect only 'small tweaks' goes to show the contempt Apple holds for its users now. They do need to be careful though because linux and Ubuntu is snapping at their heels. I now use a Ubuntu VM for quite a bit of my work, and I really like it. A big bonus is that with something like Linux you know that you can continue to use your setup, and benefit from security updates, for many years. Just look at those people who spent a small fortune on the last Intel Mac Pro, they will not get OS 27....

 

[JulianL]

...

AI App and Feature Updates

Most of these rumors are for iOS 27, but a lot of what's available on iOS is also available on macOS.
...

• Safari - Safari is getting a feature for automatically organizing browser tabs into groups, which will be useful for tab addicts who like to see just how many tabs their Mac can handle before it starts to feel sluggish.

...

Article Link: 5+ New Features Coming in macOS 27

As a "tab addict" who recently moved from using Microsoft Edge on Windows to Safari on macOS Tahoe I find it frustrating that, if these rumours are true, Apple is seemingly skipping over what I assume would be a simpler feature to implement in favour of investing presumably more engineering effort in a more complex AI-based solution with all the non-determinism involved in such a solution (i.e. how often will it do what the user actually wants/expects vs not).

I can only speak for myself but this "tab addict" is also a vertical tabs enthusiast and, given my suspicion that the vertical (y) dimension on most people's browser window is bigger than the horizontal (x) dimension, I suspect that a Venn diagram might show quite a big intersection between the "tab addicts" and "vertical tab enthusiasts" sets so the simpler feature that I alluded to above is a decent implementation of virtual tabs.

Better virtual tabs in Safari vs what the sidebar offers now could be as simple as an extra "compact" option for the sidebar where it only shows the icons but when you mouse over it, probably mostly when switching to a different tab, it auto-expands so that you can see the text for the tab titles and then collapses again once the mouse leaves the sidebar. That, coupled with an extra option to suppress the horizontal tab display completely (apart from the main URL/search entry box of course) would I suspect be a simpler engineering job and would be something I'd actually prefer compared to an AI grouping feature. That would get me the MS Edge vertical tab functionality that I've been using for years in Windows and that I really miss now that I'm using Safari.

And yes, I know that many other browsers are available for MacOS but I prefer to use the built in stuff wherever possible vs installing extra 3rd party stuff so I'm sticking with Safari for while to see what OS 27 might bring (who knows, I might love AI tab grouping and/or Apple might actually improve vertical tabs) and also to give myself a bit longer to maybe get used to Safari and be able to live with the limitations. Tab management is pretty much the only thing I don't like about Safari compared to Microsoft Edge.

 

[IIGS User]

We added on old feature back in.

“It just works”.

Just make it work…

 

[jayducharme]

I know how Apple likes to dump legacy software, but I wish they’d keep Rosetta going. It works just fine and I don’t want to lose my frequently used but older apps.

 

[philstubbington]

If I understand the photo enhancements correctly, I hope this makes it to the Apple TV too. Would be great to see photos full screen.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

The ability to turn off transparency/translucency already exists within the accessibility settings. So… yeah?

Honestly that was kind of an odd question to ask.

Liquid Glass isn’t defined by the level of transparency, it’s the entire aesthetic of the U.I and the apparent function of it - which according to Apple is to unify their platforms, despite the fact they spent the entire beta period modifying the properties of the glass on each platform, independently.

There’s no reason why there shouldn’t be an option to reduce the effects of this U.I.

 

[Paddle1]

You mean 26.

No, macOS 27 will have it. Apple has already stated that Rosetta 2 is staying until macOS 28.

 

[trusso]

Polish siri?

Tak, proszę.

 

[963852741]

No, macOS 27 will have it. Apple has already stated that Rosetta 2 is staying until macOS 28.

Didn't they say it's not going to in 27 originally? because i specifically decided not to upgrade my oldest M1 so that I can still play Diablo III from time to time.

 

[Astuces iOS]

... and miss out on all the exciting new macOS 27 ones

Nah macOS 27 is kinda boring and most features are AI so even if you gave them 27, they wouldn’t have AI

 

[Astuces iOS]

It is how things go sadly, in the tech world.
Look at people in the windows would that can't update to Windows 11, people with older phones, Iphone or Android that can't update.
My PC don't officially support Windows 11, it is possible to stick it on there, but Ms could stop that at any time and have tried to.

Apple is doing what other tech companies do. A friend has a Trashcan mac, she has used OpenCore Legacy Patcher to update it Ventura I think. Official support have gone for it long ago.

Well it looks like programmed obsolescence and this is not legal in many places in the world including where I live ! They better fix the damn bugs for intel…

 

[PBG4 Dude]

I would like to know what Forstall is doing right now. He was serious competitor to Cook, but now its gone, hopefully feud is over.

He’s now an award winning broadway producer.

Scott Forstall | The Broadway Producers

 

[nt5672]

Except FOSS (Free Software) like Linux and GIMP

Yep, just bought 2 new computers that should have been Macs, but no, they run linux.

 

[CasualFanboy]

So loads of crappy ai "features". Hard pass.

But..... the "Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements"!

 

[Padre_Pio]

God I hope not, especially considering they promising these features to the iPhone 16 users when it was released. Making Siri a subscription will be the end of Siri 🪦. Siri came as an OS utility and it should remain that way, regardless of how bad it is or how good it will/should become.

No, I mean, "Basic Siri" is free, and that is Siri as it currently sits (with maybe an improvement here to there), "Siri Pro" is $9.99 per month and "Siri Max" is $19.99 per month.

I could totally see this.

 

[QuarterSwede]

No, macOS 27 will have it. Apple has already stated that Rosetta 2 is staying until macOS 28.

Didn't they say it's not going to in 27 originally? because i specifically decided not to upgrade my oldest M1 so that I can still play Diablo III from time to time.

Both are correct statements. They recently (May’ish) updated the Rosetta 2 develop doc to give a decent timeline.

Rosetta was designed to make the transition to Apple silicon easier, and we plan to make it available for the next two major macOS releases – through macOS 27 – as a general-purpose tool for Intel apps to help developers complete the migration of their apps. Beyond this timeframe, we will keep a subset of Rosetta functionality aimed at supporting older unmaintained gaming titles, that rely on Intel-based frameworks.

*emphasis added.

 

[bluecoast]

‘Liquid Glass transparency and shadows don't work as well on the Mac as they do on the iPhone’

Arguably they don’t work well on the iPhone.

Putting usability aside - my iPhone is on ‘tinted’ and I’d love an ‘opaque’ appearance setting - my 16e has taken a ~20% battery hit with 26, I estimate.

Also, it seems to drain battery far faster even when the screen is locked and I’m not using it for anything.

Subjective I know, but I’d go back to how it was under 18 purely for the battery life, let alone the UI.

 

[GtrDude]

Does that mean Apple will allow users to resize the Finder window and it'll stay like that after you reboot the computer?

It's amazing that you can save the window size for every single app on the computer and it stays like that after a reboot, but still today you can not save the size of the Finder window and expect it to stay like that after the computer reboots.

It always goes back the the size Apple wants it to be.
Silliest thing ever in computing.

 

[Defaulteds]

iOS 27 has been the star of the rumors we've been hearing ahead of Apple's WWDC 2026 event, but there have also been a few tidbits about the next version of macOS, macOS 27. We don't know as much about macOS 27 as we do about iOS 27, so there will be some surprises in store.

Liquid Glass Revision

Hate Liquid Glass on the Mac? It's not going anywhere, but Apple is planning a "slight redesign."

Liquid Glass transparency and shadows don't work as well on the Mac as they do on the iPhone, and Apple has some revisions in mind. Don't expect Apple to revert to the pre-Tahoe design, but minor improvements are likely.

Siri

Most people probably never use Siri on the Mac, but that could change with macOS 27. The smarter, more capable version of Siri that we've been hearing about endlessly isn't just for iOS. Siri is also coming to macOS, with a new Siri interface planned and, presumably, a standalone Siri app for the Mac.

We don't know as much about the macOS 27 Siri interface as we do about the iOS 27 interface, but it'll probably parallel what's coming in iOS. On the iPhone, Siri will be integrated in the Dynamic Island. Will Apple somehow carry that over to the Mac's notch? Who knows, but it's possible. Siri on iOS has a dark interface that's hinted at in WWDC graphics, and we could get that same style in macOS 27.

If you want to read more about the changes coming to Siri, check out our iOS 27 roundup.

AI App and Feature Updates

Most of these rumors are for iOS 27, but a lot of what's available on iOS is also available on macOS.

• Photos - The Photos app will include new Extend and Reframe options. Extend generates image content beyond the original frame of the photo, and Reframe lets users change the perspective of an image after it's captured. There's also a tool for natural language photo edits, but it might not be ready to go when macOS 27 launches.
  
• Image Playground - Apple is testing new models that produce more lifelike images, plus there could be some updates to the app interface.
  
• Wallpaper - iOS 27 is getting a wallpaper-generating feature that uses Image Playground, so it makes sense for it to be available in macOS 27 too.
  
• Shortcuts - The Shortcuts app will let users ask Siri to generate a shortcut using natural language. With a short statement on what a shortcut should do, AI will whip it up and add it to the app. It'll make shortcuts much easier for the average person to use.
  
• Writing Tools - In addition to spell check, there will be a grammar check feature. Writing Tools will also support expanded rewriting and text generation capabilities.
  
• Safari - Safari is getting a feature for automatically organizing browser tabs into groups, which will be useful for tab addicts who like to see just how many tabs their Mac can handle before it starts to feel sluggish.

Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements

Bug fixes and performance improvements will be a focus in both iOS 27 and macOS 27. In fact, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple is working on a "Snow Leopard-style update" for iOS 27 and macOS 27.

Apple wants to improve the underlying quality and performance of macOS.

Touchscreen Support

There is a MacBook Pro with a touchscreen OLED display that's going to come at some point during the macOS 27 release cycle, so there could be hidden touch-based tweaks. This isn't a device that we're expecting until late 2026 at the earliest (and 2027 is more likely), but researchers who like to dig into macOS code might find some hints of touchscreen support.

No More Intel Macs

It's the end of the road for Intel Macs. If you're still using a Mac with an Intel chip, you won't be able to upgrade to macOS 27. macOS Tahoe is the last version of macOS that runs on Intel Macs, and macOS 27 will require an M1 Apple silicon chip or later.

Apple has phased out all Intel Macs, and it stopped selling the last Mac with an Intel chip in 2023.

Speaking of phasing things out, Apple is ending support for Rosetta 2 after macOS 27. Rosetta will still be available in macOS 27, but not macOS 28. If you're still using an app that relies on Rosetta, it will need an Apple silicon update by fall 2027 or it's not going to work anymore.

macOS Name

One detail that rarely leaks ahead of WWDC is Apple's name for the next version of macOS. Apple uses California landmarks for its Mac software, and there are still plenty to choose from. "Project Big Bear" is the name of the hashmoji file that Apple shared on X, so macOS Big Bear is a possibility. If macOS 27 focuses on bugs and is a "Snow Leopard" update, Apple could pick macOS Emerald after Emerald Bay.

Emerald Bay is a small bay off of Lake Tahoe, and it would be a fitting choice. "Snow Leopard" followed "Leopard," and using the same kind of linked name would be a strong signal of Apple's commitment to performance improvements in the macOS 27 update.

Launch Date

macOS 27 will be available for developers after the June 8 WWDC keynote event. A public beta will follow in July, and the software will see a public launch in the fall.

Article Link: 5+ New Features Coming in macOS 27

Now all we need are some new computers available for purchase to put macOS 27 on. Tick Tock, Tick Tock.

 

[ijordano]

Can we please just get launchpad back? It's the only thing stopping me from updating

 

[Spock]

I wish they would hit pause on Siri and focus on polishing the UI and some bug fixes. That is the feature I want.

 

[richpjr]

No thanks last thing we need is a touch friendly macOS the ui will be come a mess like when Microsoft tried shoehorning in touch support to windows.

Also Mac rumours the touchscreen Mac is just a rumour at this point! I never know anyone that had a touchscreen laptop ever use the touch screen lol

It is inevitable, another thing in a long list of items people swear would never happen in Apple products.