There are multiple reasons why people still prefer a MacBook or a Mac computer for their official use. The dependable hardware of the Mac machines is also backed by the reliable macOS. The most recent update for macOS is called High Sierra. Though there are not many flabbergasting additions included in this update it comes with a lot of tweaks to enhance the user experience. If you already have macOS Sierra running then High Sierra would be a free upgrade.
Here’s everything you should know about this new update in case you have not updated your Mac machine yet or if you plan to upgrade anytime soon:
- Apple File System:
File management in Mac was earlier taken care of by HFS+. Now, Apple file system, similar to the one that iOS has, would be managing files in Mac and this is all about security enhancement and performance. File organization would now be managed in a breeze and they can also be accessed without any hassle. Keeping in mind the future needs, a 64bit architecture has been included in the very responsive file management system. It also comes with an integrated encryption system to ensure the safety of the data stored in your Mac machines. Remember however that this new file management system upgrade would not work with Fusion Drives and it has presently been designed for SSDs.
- The improvements in Safari
The biggest changes in this upgrade can be felt in Safari though these are the changes that are often not spoken about. The browser has not just gotten faster but also prevents automating video playing on the websites. This autoplay blocking doesn’t occur however with YouTube and other video streaming sites. This is a smart improvement. And the sites cannot track the user information and this is thanks to the smart tracking system incorporated in the browser.
- Better videos and photos
4K video support has been introduced with High Sierra. To make this better there is the HEVC – high efficiency video coding feature that allows nearly 40% better compression of large videos. The quality of the videos is retained in this compression while the space occupied on the drive is reduced a great deal. In addition to this the Photo organization and editing tools have been upgraded. Filtering out photos of a particular category and then moving those to different locations now gets simpler.
- VR comes to Mac
The new Mac machines to come in future would come with better VR supportive displays. VR apps for Mac can also now be developed and they are compatible with a handful of VR headsets. This is Apple’s way to encourage the creation of an immersive VR environment for Mac.
- Metal upgraded
On the Graphics part Apple calls Metal 2 a “game changer”. So for all the future machine learning and VR compatibility requirements the Mac would not be ready. And even if you are looking to add a graphics upgrade with an external GPU it would now be possible. Most of the changes that have been incorporated are internal and you might not visibly see them. But it shows well in the slight improvement seen in the graphics performance after the update. And this is good news for gamers in particular.
- Other features
Besides the above mentioned features there have been several small improvements made as well.
- Photos for example would be easier to sync across devices and face recognition in the Photos is also made better.
- Siri on Mac also receives several enhancements like that in iOS.
- Spotlight on Mail would now make the Mail interface sleeker and also compresses the emails so as to save space on the drive.
- Important Notes can be pinned for quicker access.
- One other interesting addition from the macOs Sierra update is the ability to make a Live Photo from a video call in FaceTime. It helps capture memories in a fun interactive way.
All the improvements have been focused to add subtle refinements to the interface and to add to the security of the Mac machines.
As always, remember to create a full backup before you install your new macOs update. The update is readily available from Mac Store.
