Macworld UK July 2021

The next version of macOS is called Monterey. It’s the first major update to Apple’s desktop operating system since the big shift in macOS 11 Big Sur, which was introduced at WWDC last year. Here are the top features, which will be released this autumn following a public beta period beginning in July. UNIVERSAL CONTROL Apple users often switch between devices, and with Universal Control, you can now use a single mouse and keyboard between your Mac and iPad. If you’re using a MacBook, its keyboard and trackpad can be used with the iPad. You can even drag and drop files between devices and perform gestures on the MacBook trackpad to navigate the iPad. Additionally, Universal Control can do something that Apple’s Craig Federighi said would appeal to professionals: you can connect three…

During its WWDC Keynote presentation earlier this month, Apple took the wraps off iOS 15. While new hardware is always exciting, iOS is maybe Apple’s most important and impactful product of all, as it gets installed on over a billion iPhones around the world. Due to release this autumn with a beta test starting right away, it’s full of new features and changes both big and small. These are the top five features that will have the biggest impact on iPhone users. BIG FACETIME UPGRADES FaceTime is getting a big boost in iOS 15. Spatial audio will separate out voices, so group chats sound more natural. A new grid view shows everyone the same size, and highlights the person talking. New microphone modes makes it easier for others to hear you –…

At this year’s WWDC Keynote presentation, Apple unveiled the next generation of iPadOS. It will bring a lot of the changes we got with iOS 14 on the iPhone along with a few new features geared toward power users. Here are the top features Apple is bringing to our iPads with iPadOS 15. WIDGETS Apple introduced a completely redesigned Home Screen with widgets in iOS 14 and it’s finally bringing them to the tablet. They function much as they do on the iPhone, offering small boxes that live among the icons on your screen and provide at-a-glance information to things like weather, photos and stocks. Apple is making them even more powerful on the iPad, however, with support for larger-format widgets with much more information and interaction for things like gaming, media,…

At its WWDC keynote, Apple revealed the next generation of watchOS, which will come to our wrists in the autumn. Here are the new features we’re most exited to try: PHOTOS AND MESSAGING The Photos app is used for one of the most popular watch faces, so a big update here will for many people change the overall look and feel of the device: yes, the Apple Watch is getting the iPhone’s Portrait mode. These dynamic, multilayered photos breathe new life into portrait shots of your friends and family, and in watchOS 8 you’ll also be able to play around with the positioning of the time and other information on the display to better fit the picture. Also new in the Photos app are daily memories and featured photos, plus a grid view…

tvOS is the operating system for the Apple TV. Every year Apple introduces various changes to the software that runs on the Apple TV and 2021 looks to be no different. This year, we may see the biggest change to tvOS we have seen for some time. WWDC21 revealed some information about the next update, tvOS 15, so here’s when to expect it, what it’ll feature and more. RELEASE DATE Apple confirmed that the updates announced at WWDC will be coming this autumn, which is in line with the September release of previous versions. The release of tvOS 15 will likely coincide with the rollout of iOS 15. SIRI HOMEPOD MINI VOICE SUPPORT Users with HomePod mini can now use voice control to play specific episodes and/or movies on Apple TV. This is something already available…

Apple introduced new iCloud features during its WWDC21 keynote as part of a new iCloud+ service. These features focus on preserving your privacy, and the company is making these features available to paid iCloud subscribers at no additional cost. ACCOUNT RECOVERY Apple adds another option to getting a security code that you need to access your account. The new option allows you to add a trusted contact to get the code info. For example, if you select your mother as an Account Recovery contact, she will get the forgotten password code that you need. She can then relay that code for you to use. LEGACY CONTACT Sooner or later, it happens to all of us: we die. And if you rely heavily on the cloud to store your pictures, videos, and other important files,…