macOS Sonoma arrives with desktop widgets, improved video conferencing and Game Mode

The latest version of Apple’s desktop OS is here with macOS Sonoma. Named after the small tourist town in California, MacOS Sonoma brings several UI overhauls, starting with the new interactive widgets.

Building on the widgets brought in iOS 16, macOS Sonoma brings new desktop widgets. Continuity allows iPhone users to transfer their existing iOS widgets to their Mac as long as both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Presenter Overlay is a new feature for video conferencing apps powered by the Neural Engine in Apple silicon chips. It will allow you to share documents on your desktop for others to see all while keeping your face on camera. The feature also boasts AR effects and Video Reactions during calls, and Apple says all of these features will work on any video conferencing app.

Game mode will prioritize games' access to CPU and GPU resources on Macs powered by Apple silicon chips for improved performance. Audio latency with AirPods is “significantly reduced,” and input latency of Bluetooth controllers like the Xbox and PlayStation joysticks now features a doubled Bluetooth sampling rate.

Speaking of gaming, Death Stranding Director's Cut is officially coming to macOS later this year as announced by the game's developer Hideo Kojima on stage. Metal’s new game porting kit will make it easier for game developers to bring their titles to macOS faster than ever.

Safari is getting family passwords and web browsing profiles based on topics on top of new privacy and accessibility features. Web apps will now function as regular macOS apps including notification support and the ability to be pinned to your dock. Other under-the-radar features in MacOS Sonoma include new and improved autocorrect, updates to reminders with intelligent grocery lists, as well as enhanced PDF quick form-filling and document scans in the Notes app.

macOS Sonoma’s developer beta is available starting today. A public beta will be made available next month, while the official release of macOS Sonoma is due this fall.