iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 could have features cut thanks to xrOS – but macOS 14 could thrive
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If you’re hoping to see some big changes in macOS 14, iOS 17, and iPadOS 17 this year, you might be out of luck.
According to Mark Gurman Power On Newsletter (opens in new tab)teams at Apple have been convened to ensure the headset, reportedly dubbed Reality Pro, is announced in May and released by the end of the year.
This, in turn, has meant that features intended for the next major software updates for iPhone and iPad lines can be more subdued, with an emphasis on bug fixes and improvements, similar to iOS 12 in 2017, while upcoming Macs will see the whole could also get some quieter updates year round.
This might be welcome news to some, but we’re at a point where improvements to Stage Manager in iPadOS and new features in macOS 14 would be great to see. Waiting another year for major features instead of simple bug fixes might be a problem.
There’s more low-hanging fruit for macOS than iOS
It could be argued that in the 15 years since iOS debuted with the original iPhone, there’s been less demand for new features and more need for improvements to existing ones – but macOS is the complete opposite.
Apparently codenamed “Dawn,” iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 could be released later this year with fewer bugs, smoother operation, and also support for the upcoming headset and xrOS – the software for the rumored product. However, “Sunburst,” the code name for macOS 14, could still get a chance to introduce new features that users, including myself, have been asking for.
Widgets, for example, are a big hit on iPhone and iPad thanks to the design and the little bits of information you can get on the lock screen and home screens without going into the apps. However, none of this is currently found in macOS Ventura.
A Mac’s lock screen hasn’t changed much since the debut of Mac OS X in 2001, and macOS 14 could be the release to update it with useful widgets. Some forget that widgets originally appeared on the Mac in Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger in 2004, within an app called “Dashboard.”
Let’s see if this also returns once you get past the lock screen, rather than being limited to a sidebar that also contains your notifications.
Obvious: Apple is a huge company, and while it’s understandable that some teams are helping to ensure the headset is ready for launch this year, that doesn’t mean we won’t see new features from its other products. .
iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 may have their “refinement” moment this year, similar to iOS 12, but with macOS 14 there’s a great opportunity to let it have its moment with new features alongside the upcoming Mac Pro and M2 Pro Macs.