During the Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2016, Apple introduced a new version of its desktop operating system with a significant shift. After using the same OS X name for over a decade, the company announced that it is renaming its desktop operating system to macOS.
From this point forward, OS X will be simply known as macOS. The major reason for the change is to align the naming convention with the other platforms, including watchOS, tvOS, and the most popular, iOS.
With the name change, Apple also announced the new version of the operating system, macOS Sierra.
Although the new desktop operating system is not a radical change from the previous version, the company says it will introduce new features to bring together Apple devices (e.g., computers, tablets, and phones).
With Sierra, Apple plans to focus its efforts on Continuity to help users sign in faster using their Apple Watch. In the new version, if the computer detects your watch is nearby, your account will unlock automatically.
Another interesting feature is “Universal Clipboard,” which allows users to copy content to the clipboard on a macOS device and automatically sync the content to all their other devices. For example, you can paste a piece of text on an SMS message on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch.
On macOS, users can now purchase goods online and pay using Apple Pay, thanks to the company bringing Apple Pay to the web. Once you purchase, you must use your iPhone’s Touch ID to verify the transaction.
There is also a picture-in-picture feature that lets users resize their video on the screen when they decide to engage in other activities.
iCloud is also improving in the new version of the operating system. On macOS Sierra, you can sync multiple computers, and you’ll also be able to remotely access your files on other devices, including another Mac, iPhone, or iPad.
Playing catch-up, Apple is finally bringing Siri to Mac. Similar to Cortana on Windows 10, Siri can answer queries such as “show the files I worked on last week.” The digital assistant also integrates with the macOS finder to enable users to find content much faster.
MacOS Sierra will be available for everyone as a free update later this fall, with a developer preview rolling out in July.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].