The long vacation has just passed, the official version of macOS Catalina is here.

Search for Catalina in the Mac version of the App Store to find the update tool. Clicking on the “Get” system will automatically update it – before installing the beta version of the partner, remember to remove the relevant settings in the software settings. Then restart before you receive the update.

Compared to the previous generation of macOS Mojave, this time Catalina finally entered the deep water of reform – the first thing is to kill iTunes.

iTunes is gone, what about mobile backup?

From the results, iTunes’ functionality has been split into 4 apps.

Content is grouped into three categories: Apple Music, Podcast, and Video (Apple TV). The original device management features are integrated into the Finder.

The music and podcasts are basically the same as the iOS version. The interface inherits the design of iTunes. As for Apple TV, it is currently unavailable in China and is blank. If you are a foreign user and subscribe to Apple TV+, you can see Apple’s exclusive video resources, most of which have Chinese subtitles.

As for the device management functions such as the iPhone, it will automatically appear in the visit after the device is connected to the Mac, or a familiar interface.

In general, after splitting iTunes, the composition of macOS becomes clearer. When you want to listen to songs, you can listen to songs, watch movies when you want to watch movies, and back up when you want to back up your mobile phone. There will be no more problems with opening iTunes, and the card hasn’t listened to a song for a long time.

Apple native app big upgrade

As the basic functionality of iOS and macOS has improved, Apple has shifted the focus of software development from basic functionality to native applications.

If you pay attention to the system update in recent years, you will find that Apple’s native applications, such as memos, photo albums, and reminders, are getting better and better. By the time of the macOS Catalina generation, the ease of use has reached a very high level.

Memo

Before, the function of the memo has been perfected. The newly added “Gallery View” allows the memo to have some file management functions. The system will automatically sort the files in the memo. You can quickly find the memo. Various documents.

Album

Album is also upgraded to the way the photos are displayed in the same way as iOS. It will automatically be sorted by “Year/Month/Day”, pick out good-looking photos, block screenshots and other files, and at the same time, the Mac version of the album is powerful. The editing features have also been retained. In general, this version of the album can be used.

Reminders

Reminders are completely new. On the road of GTD tools, we have already done a detailed evaluation. As a whole, the new version of reminders is more reasonable and better, and it is recommended to experience it.

Find

Like iOS 13, the two apps “Find My Friends” and “Find My Devices” in macOS Catalina have been merged together – into a “find” app.

You can manage all your Apple devices more clearly, find your friends, and even find your Mac computer offline by Bluetooth. If you are afraid that your computer is lost, the search function must be turned on. .

Screen time

There is also a new application that “hide” in the system settings – screen time, a new feature that has been well received on iOS, ported to macOS after a year.

The new screen time can be combined with the same app usage. For example, if you use WeChat on your iPhone, Mac and iPad every day, the system will automaticallyAlways use WeChat on different platforms, which allows you to more accurately grasp the usage of the device. It is very useful for small partners who are self-managed, even if there is no habit of counting screen time, browse the system every week. Weekly newspapers can also serve as a reminder.

Link everything with a Mac

Linkage is a very important topic for macOS Catalina, both for linkages between Apple devices and for service synchronization.

After upgrading to Catalina, you can call the iPad as a pen display, you can use Apple Watch as a key, and watch movies on Apple TV and play games on your iPhone at any time.

Get the iPad as a digital screen

Sidecar is a new feature that comes with iPadOS, which allows you to turn your iPad into the second screen of your Mac.

When your macOS 10.15 or newer version and iPad are iPadOS, you can click on AirPlay in the top menu bar and select “Open Sidecar Preferences” to split the screen. You can choose either “Extended” or “Mirror”. the way.

Like writing and drawing? Now with just one iPad, you can use the on-board feature to write and draw with Apple Pencil. If you would like to see more about the navigation features, you can click here to view our previous in-depth experience articles.

It’s worth mentioning that not all Mac devices are currently supported.With Sideca, due to hardware reasons (such as the Thunder 3 interface), only the following products can use this feature:

  • 27-inch iMac (2015 or newer)
  • iMac Pro
  • MacBook Pro (2016 or newer)
  • MacBook Air (2018)
  • MacBook (2016 or newer)
  • Mac mini (2018)
  • Mac Pro (2019)

Use Apple Watch as a key

If you have an Apple Watch and are bundled with the same Apple ID on your Mac, then when your Mac needs to confirm an action—such as unlocking, encrypting, etc., just double-click on the side of the Apple Watch. With the side button, you don’t need to enter a lengthy password, the convenience is comparable to Touch ID. If your old Mac doesn’t have a Touch ID, Apple Watch is the best key.

Game archives, follow-up progress can also be synchronized

It’s worth mentioning that after upgrading to macOS Catalina, the App Store also supports Apple Arcade (of course, you need to log in to the Apple ID that has already opened the subscription).

Not only can you download games on Apple Arcade, but also support game progress and game achievements. For Macs with less game resources, the number of games is much better. What’s more, there are some games that are not optimized for touch screen operation, and it will be much better on a Mac.

Similarly, the progress of Apple TV+ and the songs on Apple Music can also be synchronized on the Mac, which is beneficial for expanding the media diversity of the Mac.

Bring the app on your iPad to your Mac

At this year’s WWDC, Apple launched Project Catalyst, a program that makes it easier for developersBring the app on your iPad to your Mac.

This is also a highlight of macOS Catalina – running the app on the iPad natively on a Mac.

At present, some iOS apps have been ported to the Mac and can be downloaded from the App Store, including GoodNotes 5, Jira, Allegory, etc., with related Thematic page, you can download the experience yourself here.

With GoodNotes 5 as an example, the interface design is almost the same as the iPad version, but the operation logic is more in line with the Mac’s input method, which is very convenient to use and does not feel like a hard copy.

Two small issues to consider before upgrading

So, which Macs can be upgraded to macOS Catalina? There is an official upgrade list here, but before upgrading, you need to consider two minor issues:

Old app compatibility

Every time macOS updates, compatibility is one of the most overlooked issues, but the least should be overlooked.

This time, macOS Catalina no longer supports 32-bit applications, it is the first macOS version that only supports 64-bit applications, which means that a considerable number of old applications will be out of the historical arena – before macOS Several widgets for the dashboard have been removed, and many of the old games on Steam won’t work after updating Catalina.

This change has little effect on users who have used Mac for the past two years, but if you are an old user who uses Mac all year round, it is best to check the compatibility of the application before upgrading (especially Adobe Application), as follows:

Open “About This Mac” > Select “System Report” in the “Overview” > select “Application” > Click Apply to view.

iCloud Driver may lose files

In the previous beta, macOS Catalina had the problem of the iCloud Driver file “disappearing”. You may have just upgraded the boot and found that the desktop is gone. In fact, the iCloud Driver is not synchronized on the Mac. The file has not been lost. It can be found on the iCloud web version and mobile version, but when it can be synchronized, it becomes a metaphysical problem.

So, if you are a heavy iCloud Driver user, before upgrading to macOS Catalina, it is recommended to sync important cloud files to the local, upgrade and then import, just in case.

Summary: One of the most ambitious macOS updates in the post-iPhone era

Apple, born in 1976, has a magical ability to “everything can be turned into a computer.”

The hands of Apple, from earphones to mobile phones, have become computers of all shapes, but the long-established Mac has been adjusting its positioning.

What does the Mac mean for today’s Apple?

Maybe we can find some clues from the evolution of macOS.

As a mature operating system with nearly 20 years of history, it is not easy for macOS to maintain an annual update.

The previous generation’s functional updates, or the 2016 macOS Sierra, was introduced with the introduction of iOS shared clipboard, iCloud Driver and other features.

After three years, macOS Catalina once again strengthens the linkage between Apple devices – using Apple Watch instead of passwords, iPad to expand input boundaries, synchronizing game progress between iPhone and Apple TV, and even porting mobile apps Go to the Mac…

This is Apple’s most ambitious macOS update in the post-iPhone era, and Apple is turning the Mac device with the strongest processing power into the best service center for Apple’s ecosystem – you can use Mac to produce the best contentYou can also enjoy the best service with your Mac.

Maybe, this is what the Mac bearers today.

*This article was completed by Xiao Qinpeng, Li Chenghui, and Liang Menglin