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macOS Big Sur

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macOS Big Sur

The next version of macOS, named Big Sur, was announced at WWDC on June 22nd, 2020. It includes a UI overhaul that brings it closer to iOS in style. Many buttons are now chromeless and highlight as you mouseover. There is a lot more translucency, and app icons in the Dock now look similar their iOS counterparts too.

macOS Big Sur Features

macOS Big Sur also brings Control Center to the macOS for the first time with quick access to brightness and other quick toggles.

The Notification Center in macOS is now up-to-date with the iOS version, featuring grouping and rich interface styles. The iOS 14 widget system is also available on macOS.

The Messages app for Mac has also been revamped with an inline photo picker and Memoji. The Apple Maps app has also been modernized, now as a  Catalyst app so it shares the same codebase with iOS.

Compatible Macs

Here’s the full list of macOS 11 Big Sur compatible Macs:

  • 2015 and later MacBook
  • 2013 and later MacBook Air
  • 2013 and later MacBook Pro
  • 2014 and later Mac mini
  • 2014 and later iMac
  • 2017 and later iMac Pro
  • 2013 and later Mac Pro

macOS Big Sur Release Date

A developer beta is available now, public beta in July, with the general release in the fall.

This app lets you download full macOS Big Sur installer pkgs with one click

If you’re looking for a way to easily download the installer pkg of recent and future macOS software releases, a new app from Scripting OS X will let you do just that. “Download Full Installer” is a new app from Armin Briegel that lists the full macOS Big Sur and later installer pkgs available from Apple’s software update catalogs.

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Apple releases first developer beta of macOS 11.4 with new GPU support [Update: Public beta too]

Mac: How to install macOS Big Sur

We just got the macOS 11.3 release candidate shortly after Apple’s Spring Loaded event. And ahead of the 11.3 public launch that could coincide with iOS 14.5 next week, Apple has seeded developers with the first beta for macOS 11.4 that comes with support for new AMD GPUs.

Update 4/22: Now available for public beta testers.

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Hands-on: Apple’s new ‘Hello’ screen saver for Macs running macOS 11.3 [Video]

New M1 iMacs will ship with a new screen saver in macOS 11.3 RC entitled Hello, a not-so-subtle homage to the original Macintosh, and to the original iMac. The new Hello screen saver is available in macOS 11.3 RC, and can run on any M1 Mac (or Intel Mac) with a little bit of finessing. Watch our hands-on video for more details.

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Microsoft’s Visual Studio for Mac getting complete overhaul with native UI and more

Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 Mac

Microsoft has announced that a public preview for its Visual Studio 2022 will be coming soon. Along with a number of changes and enhancements, the latest app development software will arrive with an all-new Mac version that includes a native UI, improved performance and reliability, support for macOS accessibility features, and more.

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