Apple has revealed significant new updates for macOS, iPadOS and visionOS which incorporates the all-new Liquid Glass design and other enhancements to improve productivity, creativity and entertainment.
MACOS TAHOE 26
Apple has continued the tradition of naming macOS after a Californian landmark.
This time out for macOS 26, Apple has named the update Tahoe and packed it with a range of new features including the new Liquid Glass design which will be reflected in the dock, sidebars and toolbars to offer a refined new look while putting a greater focus on the content.
The menu bar is also now transparent which will make the display appear to be even larger.
This new design also opens up the personalization options for the Mac with folder icons now able to be given different colours and symbols.
READ MORE: Apple unveils new design for all its software platforms and new features for iPhone and Apple Watch
On the continuity side, the Phone app has landed on the Mac and will allow users to make and receive calls on their computer via their nearby iPhone.
This will include the latest iPhone features including Call Screening and Hold Assist.
Live activities from a user’s iPhone will also appear on the Mac’s menu bar so you can keep up with things happening in real time like an Uber ride, flights or live sports scores.
And when you click on the live activity the app opens in iPhone mirroring mode to offer more information or to act right from their Mac.
Spotlight, the central search engine for everything on the Mac, has also had an upgrade to make it even easier to find what you’re looking for and to perform tasks.
Now search results will comb through folders, events, apps, messages and more and will be ranked intelligently based on the relevance and importance to the user.
Spotlight can also be used to send an email, create a note, play a podcast in the search window without switching between apps.
Spotlight also now includes Quick Keys which are shortcuts to get at the right actions by using a short string of characters.
macOS26 will also include Live Translation in Messages, FaceTime and in the phone app with words and responses translated in real time.
iPADOS 26
iPadOS 26 is a huge update with a range of new features and capabilities to make the iPad even more versatile and useful.
The new Liquid Glass design has carried over for the iPad to enhance the lock screen and Control Centre without losing focus on your work and content.
The biggest new feature for iPad OS 26 is the new windowing system which adds Mac-like abilities to resize app windows and place them wherever you want and have multiple windows open at the same time.
Also onboard is a new menu bar which can be accessed with a simple swipe down to access commands available in any app.
iPad will now have a more mouse-like pointer to make the experience more computer- like than ever.
The File app has also been upgraded to make it easier to manage, access and edit files and make folders easier to identify immediately thanks to folder customization options where you can choose colours and symbols to distinguish folders from one another.
The Preview app is also now available on iPad and it is a fast way of viewing, editing and marking up PDFs and images either with Apple Pencil or by touch.
Apps will also work better in the background to give users the option of getting on with other jobs while a long running process continues in the background.
iPadOS 26 also offers high quality recording options and better control over audio input.
Users can now choose different microphones for each app and websites with recorded audio improved with voice isolation to block out ambient noise and create clear and crisp recordings.
Local Capture will allow users on video conferencing apps to produce higher quality recordings by capturing audio and video on their device in the highest available quality which can then be shared when the call is over.
VISIONOS 26
visionOS 26 has had a remarkable upgrade to offer new spatial experiences for Apple Vision Pro users.
The new update will offer users the ability to place their favourite widgets in their space like clocks with distinctive face designs, playlists and weather widgets which remain in place wherever you put them in your spatial environment.
visionOS 26 allows users to share spatial experiences with other Apple Vision Pro users in the same room like the latest movies in 3D, playing special games or collaborating with co-workers.
Personas have been radically improved in visionOS 26 and present a more life-like accuracy and sharpness to profile views right down to accurate hair and complexion.
Users can now also choose Spatial Browsing which can transform articles on Safari and reveal spatial scenes that react as you scroll.
Developers can now embed 3D models directly into web pages to make it easier for users to shop and browse with depth and dimension as well as see and manipulate 3D objects and models right in the Safari browser.
visionOS 26 also supports playback of native 180-degree, 360-degree and wide field of view content from Insta360, GoPro and Canon cameras.
Users can also take advantage of the PlayStation VR2 Sense controller with the Apple Vision Pro to provide more engaging and enhanced gameplay experiences which take advantage of higher performance motion tracking in six degrees of freedom with finger touch detection and vibration support.
