macOS Sonoma to Launch on September 26, Featuring Desktop Widgets, Safari Profiles, Game Mode, and More

[MacRumors]

Apple today at its "Wonderlust" event announced that macOS Sonoma, the latest version of its Mac operating system, will be available to all users with compatible Mac models starting on Tuesday, September 26.

• Will My Mac Run macOS Sonoma?

macOS Sonoma includes several new features, including interactive desktop widgets, Apple TV-like aerial screensavers, enhancements to apps like Messages and Safari, a new Game mode that prioritizes CPU and GPU performance for gaming, and more.

New interactive widgets can now be placed right on your desktop, blending into your desktop wallpaper to not be obtrusive when you're working, and thanks to Apple's Continuity feature you can use the same widgets from your iPhone on your Mac.

macOS Sonoma also introduces enhanced video conferencing features, including Presenter Overlay to allow a user to display themselves in front of the content they are sharing. Reactions let users share how they feel within a video session, and Screen Sharing has been improved with a simplified process.

As is usual with macOS updates, Safari is getting numerous new features within Sonoma. There's an update to Private Browsing that provides greater protection from trackers and from people who might have access to the user's device.

Profiles within Safari offer a way to separate browsing between topics, like having one for work and one for personal browsing. There's also a new way to create web apps that work like normal apps and let you get to your favorite website faster.

When you're not actively using macOS Sonoma, the new screen savers feature slow-motion videos of various locations worldwide. They shuffle between landscape, Earth, underwter, or cityscape themes, similar to what you'll see on tvOS.

For gamers, there's a new Game Mode in macOS Sonoma that delivers an optimized gaming experience with smoother and more consistent frame rates. It dramatically lowers audio latency with AirPods and reduces input latency with game controllers, and it works with any game on Mac.

Alongside macOS Sonoma, Apple at its "Wonderlust" event also announced the release date for iOS 17 for compatible iPhones.

Article Link: macOS Sonoma to Launch on September 26, Featuring Desktop Widgets, Safari Profiles, Game Mode, and More

 

[fwmireault]

September release! This is a surprise!

 

[Channelsurfer63]

September release! This is a surprise!

Yes, looks like I will be running it sooner than originally thought.

 

[KoolAid-Drink]

September release! This is a surprise!

First time since Mojave in 2018 that we've seen a September release. Awesome!

 

[eilavid]

Just a week after iOS, finally we won't have to wait another month !

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

So strongly implying no Mac event in October or new iPhones need something in Sonoma to function well with Mac?

 

[Royksöpp]

That’s a good sign. I’m pretty excited about Sonoma, especially after how much I disliked Ventura.

 

[blazerunner]

Which features are going to be artificially gimped on Intel systems?

 

[PsykX]

Hoping this will fix the Continuity Camera feature...

It's an unreliable feature even wired. I use it for work and 1 day out of 5 it doesn't work at all. Pretty shameful.

 

[fwmireault]

Not related to the OS but I was hoping Apple would transition already the Mac accessories to USB-C… we will have to wait a bit longer apparently

 

[Dwalls90]

September release! This is a surprise!

Not sure we will see an October or fall event this year. There are no longer rumors of new iPads before 2024, and usually Apple holds Mac OS back for new fall Macs, but since they're releasing in September, it makes you wonder...

 

[patearrings]

I'm suprised at this. Having using sonoma as my main driver since dev beta 2 i think it is still quite unfinished. Further, the last couple of betas have introduced more bugs than were present earlier and are less stable.

There are problems with multi monitors, watch unlocks, the moving wallpaper sending your screens black which cant be recovered without reboot, multi desktops crashing, memory leaks in the wallpapervideoextension and sporadic problems with wake from sleep just to name a few.

I very much doubt all of this will be fixed in the RC they just released.

 

[KoolAid-Drink]

That’s a good sign. I’m pretty excited about Sonoma, especially after how much I disliked Ventura.

Same. Ventura on my 2020 Intel 4-ports MBP is pretty buggy. When I leave the computer alone for a bit, then move the trackpad, the display stutters and takes forever to respond to input. Safe Boot doesn't work properly, and I'm forced to force reboot the computer when Safe Boot launches.

Sonoma doesn't have any of those issues ^ and seems buttery smooth.

 

[ghostface147]

Earlier than expected.

 

[Realityck]

Apple today at its "Wonderlust" event announced that macOS Sonoma, the latest version of its Mac operating system, will be available to all users with compatible Mac models starting on Tuesday, September 26.

I expected Sonoma to wrap earlier in Sept based on the solidness of the current beta 7. A lot should really like it.

 

[Meñito]

Game mode...

Skyrim... nop
Dragon Age... nop
Castellvania... nop

 

[k1121j]

widgets.... Again!! anyways i cant wait to get this on my 2016 MBP with OpenCore

 

[theonekcrow]

Sounds like there may not be a Mac event this year on the basis of this.

 

[k1121j]

Sounds like there may not be a Mac event this year on the basis of this.

Right after Christmas... got to clear out inventory first. Wink Wink

 

[AppleMad98004]

Pretty good sign M3 Macs are a spring event especially since Tim Cook was empahsizing the MacBook Air is the best laptop. Pushing holiday sales.

 

[ikir]

Game mode is pretty great, I've tired and published a video (in Italian) showing better performance and also less to zero bluetooth audio latency.

 

[TheOldChevy]

But how does it recognise that this is a game ?

 

[rchornef]

But how does it recognise that this is a game ?

User input?

 

[srbNYC]

There are problems with multi monitors, watch unlocks, the moving wallpaper sending your screens black which cant be recovered without reboot, multi desktops crashing, memory leaks in the wallpapervideoextension and sporadic problems with wake from sleep just to name a few.

Some of these may not be widespread. I have no problem waking from sleep or moving wallpapers making my screen black. I don't deal with a Watch or multiple monitors.

 

[Realityck]

Some of these may not be widespread. I have no problem waking from sleep or moving wallpapers making my screen black. I don't deal with a Watch or multiple monitors.

I think I encountered just one instance similar to that with beta 7. But I used this m1 24" iMac for hours and hours each day. I had paused hardware decoded videos from two difference VoD services in two separate private Safari 17 windows and put the Mac to sleep, awoke it and got a yellow screen where I could see the GUI and just restarted it and it never occurred again. But getting this to reoccur would be difficult. Now using the RC.