macOS 15

At WWDC 2024, Apple will unveil the next-generation version of macOS, macOS 15. While most of what we've heard about upcoming software has been focused on iOS 18, macOS and iOS often share many features, so we have some idea of what's to expect on the Mac too.

Apple is planning a major AI overhaul for its operating systems, with AI features coming to Music, Photos, Notes, Messages, Mail, and more, along with new AI-powered intelligence for Siri and Spotlight.

macOS 15 will be previewed at the Worldwide Developers Conference, with an unveiling set to happen on Monday, June 10. Betas will go out the same day, and there will be a testing period over the next few months. macOS 15 will see a public launch in the fall.

Note: See an error in this roundup or want to offer feedback? Send us an email here.

Siri will take advantage of the artificial intelligence improvements that Apple is bringing in iOS 18 and macOS 15. One leaker has suggested that Apple is planning to use large-language models (LLMs) to entirely revamp Siri and turn it into the "ultimate virtual assistant." LLMs are the driving force behind chatbots like ChatGPT, and they incorporate huge amounts of data and use algorithms to generate content based on that information.

Siri will reportedly have a more conversational feel, with Apple improving "proactive intelligence. Siri will eventually be able to do more, and responses will be updated thanks to a new framework that takes into account entities like people, companies, calendar events, locations, and dates.

There will be more natural Siri voice options with improved text to speech functionality, plus there are a number of specific Siri features that are in the works.

Siri In-App Expansion

Siri will be able to control individual features in apps, expanding the range of functions the personal assistant is able to perform. This feature will initially be limited to Apple's built-in apps. Some of what Siri will be able to do:

• Open specific documents
• Move a note from one folder to another
• Move a file between folders
• Delete an email
• Summarize an article
• Summarize recent notifications or messages
• Email a web link
• Open a particular news site in Apple News

Apple rearchitected Siri's underlying software with large language models or LLMs to make this happen. Siri will only be able to respond to a single command at first, but Apple is eventually aiming to allow Siri to complete multi-step tasks such as turning a photo into a GIF and then messaging it to someone.

While Apple plans to show the Siri features off at WWDC, the revamped Siri will not be coming in September when iOS 18 first launches. It will instead be released in a future iOS 18 update that's coming in 2025.

iOS 18 is expected to include updates for several of the built-in apps, including Notes, Mail, and Photos, and these updates will also likely be coming to macOS 15. We don't know a lot about some of the planned refreshes, but we have heard hints for a few of the new features.

Safari

An "Intelligent Search" option will use on-device AI technology to identify key topics and phrases on webpages to offer a summary. A "Web Eraser" tool will allow users to remove unwanted portions of webpages. Sections of websites that are "erased" persist across visits unless the change is reverted.

There will be an updated quick-access menu available from the address bar that combines page tools and some of the functions that are currently housed in the Share Sheet.

Messages

Apple is planning for an auto-generated emoji feature that will generate a new emoji based on the content of a user's messages. The emoji will be all-new and created via AI rather than something from the existing emoji catalog.

Apple "later in 2024" will adopt the Rich Communication Services (RCS) standard as an alternative to SMS/MMS. iMessage isn't going anywhere for Apple device to Apple device conversations, but RCS will make iPhone to Android conversations better in myriad ways. Sending photos and videos to Android users from an iPhone will no longer result in errors, and group chats will have better performance. Features like cross-platform emoji reactions, read receipts, and real-time typing indicators will also be added.

• Support for higher resolution photos and videos.
• Support for larger file sizes and file sharing.
• Audio messages.
• Cross-platform emoji reactions.
• Real-time typing indicators.
• Read receipts.
• Ability to send messages over cellular or Wi-Fi (SMS is cellular only). There is no cost to send an RCS message over Wi-Fi.
• Improved group chats.

Apple hasn't provided specifics on when RCS will be adopted, but "later in 2024" suggests that it's going to come following the launch of new software this fall. Everything about RCS and what it means for iPhone users can be found in our RCS guide.

iMessages will support text effects, allowing for individual words to be animated in a message. With RCS support, text effects may also work when messaging Android users.

Photos

Apple plans to add AI-based photo editing features to the Photos app in iOS 18, and it is an option that would also make sense for macOS 15.

One option will allow users to retouch photos, removing unwanted objects using generative AI.

Notes

The Notes app is expected to include support for recording voice memos directly in the app, with recordings embedded in notes. Notes and Voice Memos will include audio transcription features, offering up auto-generated transcripts of audio recordings. The Notes app is also rumored to be able to offer AI-generated summaries of key points in audio recordings.

Apple also plans to add support for displaying mathematical notation through an integration with the Calculator app. Users will be able to add more types of mathematical equations to their notes.

Calendar and Reminders

The Calendar app is expected to get Reminders integration, a feature that will let Reminders be viewed in and interacted with in the Calendar app.

Calculator App

macOS 15 will include an overhauled Calculator app that has a design inspired by the iPhone Calculator app. We can expect to see rounded buttons, an enhanced unit conversion system for up-to-date currency conversions, a feature that allows the Calculator app to integrate in with the Notes app, a history tape in the sidebar that will show previous calculations, and an adjustable window size.

Apple Music

iOS 18 and macOS 15 will include smart song transitions that improve on the existing crossfade option. With smart song transitions, Apple Music users will be able to adjust the crossfade duration from 1 to 12 seconds.

As it stands, crossfade bridges the gap between songs by lowering the volume of the song that's ending while increasing the volume of the new song, creating a successful transition without the music ever coming to an end.

Apple music could also include a feature for auto-generated playlists, with users able to input a mood, a time of day, and other parameters to get music suggestions.

Keynote, Numbers, and Pages

Apple's iWork apps will include new AI features. Keynote will have an option for automatically generating slides, and Pages will get a feature for generating text.

System Settings

The System Settings app will be updated with a new organizational system that is based on "priority and overall importance" according to rumors.

The Notifications and Sound categories in System Settings will be moved lower in the list, with General settings moved up right under Network settings. Apple plans to move the existing Wallpaper and Displays sections into the same section with General settings, and Privacy and Security will be paired with Touch ID and Password and other relevant settings. Siri and Spotlight will be paired with Internet Accounts and Game Center.

Other New Additions

There are several other features that are rumored to be coming to macOS 15.

• Accessibility - Apple is working on an Adaptive Voice Shortcuts feature for creating a custom phrase and linking an accessibility setting to it, plus there will be an option for organizing Live Speech into user-created categories.
• Freeform - A Scenes feature will let users select specific sections or Scenes within their boards for faster navigation and sharing.
• Maps - The Maps app may gain support for creating custom routes, and it may also be upgraded with topographic maps.
• Siri - Apple is redesigning the Siri menu bar icon, introducing a flat black and white version to replace the current colorful version.

Since 2013, Apple has been using California landmark names for the Mac operating system, and there's no sign that's going to change. Apple has trademarked several names over the last decade, and some of the possibilities that have yet to be used include Redwood, Grizzly, Sequoia, Mammoth, Pacific, Rincon, Farallon, Miramar, Condor, Diablo, and Shasta.

Apple could go with a non-trademarked name, and it has done so several times in the past.

These are the names that Apple has used since it started naming macOS after California landmarks:

• Mavericks
• Yosemite
• El Capitan
• Sierra
• High Sierra
• Mojave
• Catalina
• Big Sur
• Monterey
• Ventura
• Sonoma

macOS 15 will be previewed at the WWDC 2024 keynote on Monday, June 10. The first beta will be provided to developers that same day, and a public beta will likely follow in the summer.

macOS 15 will then see a public launch sometime in the fall, either in September or October based on past launch timelines.