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That wasn’t me, actually. I agreed with another member. My iMac (purchased new in 2018) is a 2017 model. It was the current model in 2018. The distinction you’re making is immaterial to my point.

That the OS would render this hardware obsolete within five or six years of purchase is shameful.
According to EveryMac, the Mid-2017 iMac came out June 5, 2017. Most of the models were discontinued on March 19, 2019, but one model was sold new by Apple all the way through October 29, 2021. (education market, maybe?)

I think it is a better metric to look at the date the model was discontinued by Apple. A user, a business, could have purchased an i5 iMac 2017 model in early October 2021, meaning in less than 2 years Apple stops supporting it with the latest operating system. That's TERRIBLE.

We have two 2017 iMac 4K models purchased in 2019 at our work. One is an i5/8GB/512GB and the other an i7/16GB/512GB. These machines are very capable. Our iMacs are way more capable than other 2018/2019 models Apple is still supporting. To stop supporting our iMacs after 4 years is atrocious.
 
I'm glad I read this article. After updating my Mac Studio to Sonoma I noticed lag when screen sharing older macs, where there was no lag prior. Apple took away better quality screen sharing for non Apple Silicon macs. Def going to hold off on future upgrades after this.

Manufactured obsolescence is destroying everything.
 
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Unless I'm misunderstanding its purpose, I just don't get the point of FaceTime Reactions. You're on cam in FT, and you're making gestures to trigger on-screen reactions. Well, the other party just saw your actual gestures. Isn't that enough? Isn't that the point of videoconferencing? Why do you need additional on-screen fluff and embellishments? Also, get off my lawn!
 


Apple on Tuesday released macOS Sonoma, the latest version of the company's Mac operating system. macOS Sonoma introduces interactive desktop widgets, web apps, new videoconferencing features, and updated capabilities across the platform.

50-New-Features-and-Changes-Worth-Checking-Out-in-macOS-Sonoma.jpg

In this article, we've selected 50 new features and lesser-known changes that are worth checking out if you're upgrading. What do you think of macOS Sonoma so far? Let us know in the comments.

1. Set Widget Color Options

When not in use, interactive desktop widgets fade into the background by taking on a monochrome style, allowing you to concentrate on the active app or window.

monochrome-desktop-widgets.jpg

If you prefer this look, you can make it permanent by going to System Settings -> Desktop & Dock. In the "Widgets" section, set Widget Style to Monochrome.

2. System Settings Navigation

In macOS Ventura, Apple replaced System Preferences with System Settings to align it with iOS and iPadOS, but the way controls were organized left many users wanting.

macos-sonoma-tidbits2.jpg

The same System Settings interface remains in macOS Sonoma, but it is now easier to navigate through different menu screens you have visited without continually scrolling through the sidebar, thanks to the addition of backward and forward buttons.

3. FaceTime Reactions

Apple has changed the way FaceTime integrates with the menu bar. The video effects options no longer appear in the Control Center, and instead have a new home in a dedicated green FaceTime menu bar item, which also includes a mini webcam view and buttons to trigger Reactions.

macos-sonoma-tidbits1.jpg

Reactions include Love, Like, Dislike, Balloons, Rain, Confetti, Lasers, and Fireworks. Some reactions are even triggered automatically by the user's physical actions: One thumb up triggers a Like, and two thumbs up are attended by Fireworks. Similarly, one thumb down counts as a dislike, and two thumbs down initiates a rain shower.

4. Safari Profiles

Safari has gained a new feature called Profiles, which is designed to help keep your browsing separate for different use cases like Work, School, or Personal.

macos-sonoma-tidbits3.jpg

Go to the Profiles section in Safari -> Settings..., and you can create custom profiles, choose a symbol and color for each one, and select a Favorites folder.

safari-profile-settings.jpg

Profiles silo your history, Tab Groups, and cookies, and you can also assign specific extensions to different profiles to optimize your browsing experience based on the task at hand.

5. Seamless Keyboard Input and Dictation

macOS Sonoma supports simultaneous use of keyboard input and Dictation, without any disruption in your flow of thought.

macos-sonoma-tidbits4.jpg

In other words, you can keep typing after hitting the Dictation shortcut (assignable in System Settings -> Keyboard). So whenever your fingers need a rest, you can complete the sentence you were just typing by saying it out loud.

6. Presenter Overlay

When you're in a FaceTime or Zoom call, click-hold the green traffic light in the corner of an open app window and you'll see a screen sharing option, while a new Presenter Overlay feature can be used to keep you on screen and better able to point to details.

macos-sonoma-tidbits7.jpg

When on a video call, you can either place yourself inside a movable bubble in the corner of the window or desktop that you're sharing, or you can bring on-screen content into the background of your own environment so that it looks as if you're standing just in front of it.

7. Dock Web Apps

Thanks to a new option in Safari, you can now create standalone web apps and add them to your Dock, alongside your regular apps.

macos-sonoma-tidbits6.jpg

All you have to do is visit a website in Safari and select File -> Add to Dock.... You can then give the web app a name and even change its icon. When you open a docked web app, it will open in its own separate window that includes back and forward buttons for simple navigation.

8. Caps Lock Is On

If the Caps Lock key on your keyboard is enabled in macOS Sonoma, a handy indicator appears right near the cursor, so you're less likely to TYPE LIKE THIS BY ACCIDENT and get your passwords wrong.

CAPS-LOCK-symbol.jpg

Apple has also made the text cursor a little thicker, and its color now changes relative to the active application, so you'll have a better idea of which window your text is going to appear in when you start typing.

9. Open Notes in Pages

You can now send notes from the Notes app directly to Pages. Simply open the note, click the Share button, then choose Open in Pages from the share sheet.

open-notes-pages.jpg

From there you can continue to edit the note in Pages, then save it or export it as a PDF, Word file, EPUB, and more.

10. iPhone Widgets on Your Mac

Thanks to Apple's Continuity feature and its ability to sync with your devices, the widget library includes widgets from your iPhone in all available sizes.

widgets-macos.jpg

So even if you don't have the c... Click here to read rest of article

Article Link: macOS Sonoma: 50 New Features and Changes Worth Checking Out
I can look Apple right in the eye and say, 'i am running it on my 2013 MBP whether you like it or not with OCLP!'.
 
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40. Auto-Hide Menu Bar Options​

In System Settings -> Control Center, there are new options to control when the menu bar automatically hides.

hide show menu bar

Scroll down to the "Menu Bar Only" section and click the dropdown next to Automatically hide and show the menu bar, and you'll be able to choose from Always, On Desktop Only, On Full Screen Only, and Never.
This isn't new, I already have this in Ventura and I am pretty sure this has been available for years. It has just been moved to a new place.
 
I'm impressed by all the small quality of life details they included in this update!
  • Linking notes together
  • Automatically cleaning up verification texts
  • Closing tabs after a specified time
  • Advanced tracking prevention
  • Favicons in Safari
  • Per website extension settings
  • Disable pointer acceleration sounds like a fix for those Windows users who just can't adjust
  • More formatting options for notes
  • Copy iCloud link
  • Toggle system settings in Spotlight
  • Reminder list column view is really cool
I have some complaints too, though
  • Click on desktop to reveal icons should be off by default
  • System Settings is still awful. The design has aged poorly already and it was bad from the start
  • Favicons in Safari should be on by default. The people who need it most won't notice the option
 
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Get used to it. All Intel Macs will soon be dropped. You are lucky actually. PowerPC Macs only got one release. Apple has already supported Intel Macs longer than PowerPC Macs were. What did you expect?

“Get used to it”

Callous.

It is not unreasonable to expect relatively expensive hardware to be supported longer than 4 or 5 years. Of course Apple wants you to believe that your only option is to “get used to it.” As I pointed out earlier it’s obvious that Apple’s business model is predicated on you upgrading your iMac every three years, whether you really need to or not.
 
My feelings exactly. Five years to software incompatibility is shameful.
Five years? Where are you getting that number from? There is no such thing as a 2018 iMac. Do you mean the 6+ year old 2017 iMac? They don’t even make replacement parts for it anymore.

Also, anyone who is sensitive about running the latest macOS should sell their Intel Mac ASAP before the value completely tanks even further and replace it with an ASi one. ASi Macs will be supported for a long time to come. Intel ones will be dropped shortly. Anyone who believes otherwise is very foolish.
 
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People & Pets - this is neat and all.

But for some reason, my Mac does not show my pets sorted into albums while my iPhone does.
And my iPhone doesn't show all the people that appear on my Mac.

Does anyone know why that could be?
It’s done on device so it’s unique to each device. If you have an Intel Mac it lacks the neural engine so it maybe not be powerful enough to identify pets.
 
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I get it, the iMac that are not supported for Sonoma are still supported till they are Obsolete by Apple pre-determines product cycle. What irks me is that in 5 years, these iMac that are not Obsolete or even Vintage MAY not be able to use Sonoma. Just 5 years seems rather short.
False. The 2013 Mac Pro supported macOS Monterey for example, a release that came out 8 years later. The iMac Pro also came out in 2017 but is still supported with Sonoma. What Macs are supported comes down a lot to hardware capabilities and how well they can run the OS. If Apple officially supports a model, that means they actually have to support it as in technical support etc, and they aren’t going to do that if it’s too much of a headache to run the new OS on older hardware with so many compromises etc.

That being said, expect all intel Macs to be cut off in the near future. This happens about once every 15 years or so when there is a huge paradigm shift with a new architecture. Intel Mac users have already been lucky, as they have been given years of support and multiple new releases. PPC users only got one single release before being completely dropped. What did you expect???
 
It’s done on device so it’s unique to each device. If you have an Intel Mac it lacks the neural engine so it maybe not be powerful enough to identify pets.
Ah, thanks. That explains it.
Seems a bit odd, though, considering I’m using the same Apple ID on all devices.
I assume it’s a privacy thing.
 
"So iMac 2018 is not supported...in just 5 years...iMac is no longer supported. That’s terrible."
Yup, that's another one Timmy Cookism, seemingly attempting to conserve corporate bandwidth. Having switched to Apple OSX/MacOS desktops over 17 years ago, mostly used in a business environment (notoriously a Micros#!t environment), I'm just glad that career is winding down.

Unfortunate for you though. Back in "the day" (Mac Pro tower era) a 5 year-old, and older, Mac Pro, iMac Pro, etc. was still considered by many as "new." E.g., numerous users offered to purchase our 2008 Mac Pros (1 out of 7 remaining despite being limited to MacOS 10.15 updates!). Best wishes with your iM '18

Agreed with others here though, outstanding work on this article!
 
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Five years? Where are you getting that number from? There is no such thing as a 2018 iMac. Do you mean the 6+ year old 2017 iMac? They don’t even make replacement parts for it anymore.

Also, anyone who is sensitive about running the latest macOS should sell their Intel Mac ASAP before the value completely tanks even further and replace it with an ASi one. ASi Macs will be supported for a long time to come. Intel ones will be dropped shortly. Anyone who believes otherwise is very foolish.

Maybe read back in the thread because this was clearly explained by another member.
 
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As @Chudasiya hinted at, the Safari-related tips in this article should not be confused with a Sonoma upgrade.

Upgrading to (or clean-installing) Sonoma will give you the latest version of Safari. However, you can also get the latest version of Safari with the corresponding features on macOS Monterey and Ventura, via Software Update.
 
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Using Safari Profiles on Ventura. Works great, but Safari seems to have introduced some instability on my MacBook Air. Ever since installing, I've had several apps crash that *never* crashed before, such as Mail and Messages, and Safari is having some rendering issues that weren't there in 16.x.

Not quite ready to jump to Sonoma, as it requires that I recompile my MacPorts, which I need for my work, so I'll wait for a couple of updates before making the jump.
 
Thanks for this article MR, really learned a lot!

Sonoma is easily the best release of MacOS I've ever experienced. Rock solid and a good number of quality of life improvements :)

It feels faster as well, but not sure whether that's true or not.
 
iPhone widgets on desktop have been functionally useless. If I click on one, all it does is say "Open this app on your iPhone to continue." What exactly is the point, then...?
 
Is it possible to turn off/on all widgets with a click (I'd accept 2 clicks)
Not that I'm aware of, but you can create a keyboard shortcut to bring up the "Desktop & Dock" tab of system preferences, then click it off. So it would be [keyboard shortcut] and 1 click.
Screenshot 2023-10-02 at 9.36.41 PM.png
 
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