macOS; TAKING LEAPS FORWARD WITH BIG SUR

Despite the coronavirus pandemic causing the world’s biggest tech events to be canceled, Apple powered through with a virtual alternative, with Craig Federighi taking to the stage to lift the lid on an all-new macOS.

To the surprise of developers and consumers, this year’s release is one of the biggest in macOS history, introducing an all-new look, a bunch of new features, and, of course, signaling the start of a new era for Macs with custom Apple chips.

STUNNING NEW DESIGN

Though Apple has had some subtle design tweaks to its operating systems over the years, macOS Big Sur represents the first major redesign since Mac OS X. With a design language that’s modern yet familiar, Apple has placed greater emphasis on your content, with all-new translucent toolbars and sidebars, keeping the focus on productivity and entertainment. The new toolbars now blend into the window, and separated buttons have been removed to offer a more cohesive, streamlined experience that brings macOS in line with iOS and iPadOS.

Individual windows now have a softer, lighter design with rounded edges, and redesigned icons within apps have been tweaked. Another significant change is that all of the native apps, including Messages, Mail, and Music, have been given the iOS squaring treatment, which has received a mixed response. With increased shadows adding texture and depth, the new 3D icons offer a fresh take on some of Apple’s most iconic apps, but some say that they are ugly and follow a different design language from iOS, making the experience inconsistent.