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Mac OS
I’ve been jolting the mac OS Catalina developer beta (as well as the Gold Master that was released last Thursday).
And while I like it, I’m not saying they should all be updated at this point. Yes, the post–iTunes world is not evil, but you should have concerns, depending on the applications you use.
On the bright side, there is nothing to worry about regarding Apple’s apps. If you don’t use any third-party apps, see that the apps that replace iTunes are full-featured.
So advanced users will have nothing to worry about. However, on the downside, the death of 32-bit apps in Catalina could make the update a nightmare.
What is macOS Catalina Availability
Download macOS Catalina now, for free. It is compatible (according to Apple) with:
- MacBook (2015 and later)
- MacBook Air (2012 and later)
- iMac (2012 and later)
- Mac mini (2012 and later)
- MacBook Pro (2012 and later)
- iMac Pro (2017 and later)
- Mac Pro (2013 and later)
I tested macOS Catalina on a docked 15-inch 2019 MacBook Pro. The presentation was solid during that time, but I hope it is, as that machine is powered by a 9th Gen 8-core Intel Core i9 CPU with 32GB of RAM.
How does iTunes are dead?
- Music is a suitable replacement. Yes, the rumors of the disappearance of iTunes are true. Except your content lives on in the trio of apps called Music, Podcasts, and TV. Each one looks like iTunes, with a navigation menu on the left, controls at the top. And content as a list/icon on the rest of the screen.
- The best news in all of this, aside from macOS combining iOS and tvOS for its media apps, is that Music doesn’t take away any of iTunes’ best features.
- As expected and desired, all of iTunes’ power-user features are intact, including iCloud Music Library and local MP3 support.
- It means you can keep adding songs to your group from outside of Apple’s library, so you’re not dependent on things the company deletes and pays for.
- The best examples of such personal tracks are rare concert recordings and mixtapes with raw samples. I tested this by uploading some albums that I bought as MP3s, changing their metadata, and viewing those same songs and album names on all my other Apple devices.
- On top of that, Music has a feature that iTunes didn’t have, and Spotify’s desktop client doesn’t offer either lyric.
- Yes, tap on the speech bubble icon, and the lyrics of the song you are listening to will seem in a menu on the right.
macOS Catalina brings iPad apps to the Mac
- The catalyst must be enormous for everybody, putting Mac apps in shape. During my mac OS Catalina period, I didn’t get any iPad apps obtainable on the App Store as they expire this fall. In my opinion, I can hardly wait that long as I want to dedicate Netflix and Overcast apps on the Mac.
- Expect a ton of Catalyst apps in the coming weeks, including a new Rosetta Stone app, Asphalt 9 racing game, and TripIt, SAP / Concur’s trip planning tool.
- Twitter is also working on a Catalyst app, which might be the best way to deal with the social media network, considering how third-party app developers cut themselves when it comes to notifications.
My Recommendation
- I’m probably going to upgrade my MacBook Pro to Catalina sometime this week, but the new software isn’t necessarily for everyone.
- For all of us who use third-party software or accessories, and I’m pretty sure it’s the majority of us, maybe we’ll wait a bit. You have to worry about the remaining 32-bit Mac applications, a problem that I bet will be fixing with updates in the coming weeks.
- IPad owners with Apple Pencil and TV app lovers will get the most out of Catalina. The screen extension capabilities of the update and media-consuming apps are currently the most vital selling points of the operating system, especially since Music doesn’t offer many new features in iTunes, just on-screen lyrics.
- In the end, Catalina helps Mac play into Apple’s facilities strategy. Transporting Apple TV Plus and also Apple Arcade to your Mac. It also makes your iPad a more appreciated device, although that profit isn’t as high without it. Apple Pencil.
- A macOS update that doesn’t seem like a downside to iOS 12,” and while this year’s macOS update takes a lot from its siblings, its main Shakeups for Macs make it look like a massive upgrade.
Also Read: What is Airplay Mac – Some of the Most Popular Features, and More