- This video was sponsored by HP.
macOS Ventura is the next version
of Apple's desktop operating system
due out in the fall of 2022.
It's a direct successor to 2021's macOS Monterey
and brings with it several new features.
In this video, I tell you about my top five favorites.
Let's get started with improvements to Messages.
Just to get this one out of the way,
one of the announcements people were most excited about
at WWDC 2022 was the ability to edit Messages,
unsend Messages, and mark Message threads as unread
in iOS 16.
However, it's interesting
because as Apple would announce features for one OS,
like iOS or macOS, we would learn that those features
would also be coming to the other operating systems as well.
So even though these highly requested features
were in the iOS section of the keynote,
you will in fact be able to edit Messages
and unsend them on macOS Ventura.
The caveat here is that you have 15 minutes
after sending a Message in order to edit or unsend it,
and if you do, there will be a label
letting the others in that Message thread know
that something was unsent
or that the Message that they are reading was edited
from the original.
Still, this is a great addition
that brings Messages more in line
with the feature set of other popular messaging platforms.
You can also use Messages for collaborating on files
and Safari tab groups.
And even cooler, you can now start SharePlay sessions
within Messages without the need to be on a FaceTime call.
Next, let's talk about one of the coolest features
I've ever seen announced from macOS, Continuity Camera.
Continuity Camera in macOS lets you use your iPhone
as a webcam and unlocks new features along with it,
including one that was never possible on a webcam until now.
Your Mac will automatically recognize
and use the camera on your iPhone when it's nearby
and you don't even need to wake the iPhone
or manually select it and it works wired or wirelessly.
When using Continuity Camera
you're able to use center stage
which will move the camera angle around
as you move to keep you centered in the frame.
You can also enable portrait mode
to get that blurred background
that you're used to on iPhones.
And there's also a new studio light feature
which will basically make you look like you have soft light
shining on your face,
while simultaneously dimming the background a bit,
making you stand out.
You can mix and match any of these while using the feature.
The most impressive thing about Continuity Camera though
is the ability to use the ultra wide camera on an iPhone
to enable something called Desk View.
This will show both your face to whoever you're talking to
but also create a top down view of your desk.
Now this is crazy
because the iPhone is still pointed forward
looking at your face.
The iPhone's ultra wide camera
also sees a forward view of you, but since it's ultra wide,
it can also see your desk underneath.
The processor in the iPhone compensates for the skewed view
and it basically looks like the iPhone is pointed downwards,
looking at your desk.
I've tried it in the beta and it works,
and it's mind-blowing to see.
This is great for demonstrating things on your desk
while talking, like doing drawings or DIY projects.
Next, let's talk about improvements in Mail.
I know a lot of people are going to appreciate
the undo send feature which will let you call back an email
within 10 seconds of hitting the send button.
It's a feature that's a big favorite in Gmail
and will save people from those embarrassing typos
they notice right after hitting send,
and Mail will even proactively tell you
when it thinks you've forgotten to include an attachment.
There's also a follow-up feature
that will let you set a time
for an email to come back to the top of your inbox
so you can deal with it later.
And there's a new schedule send feature
that allows you to specify
exactly when an email should be sent out,
so you can write your email at midnight,
but have it scheduled to send out
at eight in the morning for example.
Another major feature for me
is the greatly enhanced search in Mail.
This was definitely needed.
And now Mail will use AI when searching
to help you zone in on what you're looking for,
even compensating for things like typos in your search
and looking for synonyms as well.
Next, Stage Manager got the most attention online by far.
But before we talk about that,
let me tell you about the new accessories
from this video's sponsor, HP.
I've been testing them here on my Mac Studio
but they also work great on Windows as well.
And in fact, when using them,
you can even switch between the two different platforms
on the fly.
These are all about connectivity, customization,
and sustainability, and they're all powered
by the HP Accessory Center, which you can download free
from the Microsoft Store or App Store.
First, there's the HP 975 Dual-Mode Wireless Keyboard.
You can connect up to three devices to this one,
two over Bluetooth
and one using the included wireless dongle.
It has a built-in rechargeable battery
that delivers over six months of battery life.
And the backlit keys are smart enough to turn on
based on the lighting conditions in the room.
But it'll also turn on when you approach the keyboard,
and it's smart enough to turn off when not in use.
The HPAC Accessory Center software
allows deeper customization,
letting you program over 20 different keys with shortcuts
for your favorite apps
and to make the backlight even more personalized.
Then there's the HP 935 Creator Wireless Mouse.
This one also connects to multiple devices
and operating systems using the included dongle
or Bluetooth, and is also all about customization.
You get seven programmable buttons
on the Creator Wireless Mouse,
along with a fast and smooth scroll wheel.
The mouse charges over USB-C
and you get about three months of battery life
on a single charge.
And the fact that I only have to worry about
charging the mouse about four times per year
and the keyboard twice per year,
make these a no-brainer to me.
I'll have links in the description if you want to pick
any of these accessories up for yourself.
And once again, big thank you to HP
for sponsoring this video.
Now let's jump into Stage Manager.
As I mentioned a minute ago,
this definitely got a lot of attention online,
and it's a feature coming to both the Mac and the iPad.
Stage Manager is enabled from the control center
and will automatically organize your open windows
on the left side of your screen
while centering the one you're working in,
and you can optionally hide that left hand bar of apps
until you move the mouse cursor to the left hand side,
if you'd like.
You can also group windows together
to easily open more than one at a time,
so if you're writing an email
while referencing a window in Safari, you can do that
while keeping all of your other windows out of the way.
Most importantly, Stage Manager works together
with other macOS windowing tools,
so things like Mission Control and Spaces are still there,
if you want to use them alongside Stage Manager
or if you wanna continue using them
while ignoring Stage Manager completely.
Productivity-wise,
Stage Manager sounds like it can become a real game-changer
for multitasking and not having windows get lost
in the sea of other open apps on your desktop.
Next, let's talk about FaceTime Handoff.
Handoff is a feature that lets you start something
on one Apple device and then pick it up on another,
so for example, if you're reading an article on your iPhone
and then want to continue reading it on your iPad,
you can just hand off the article
and it'll automatically open in Safari on your iPad
right where you left off on your iPhone.
Well, starting this fall,
FaceTime gets added to the list of apps
that support Handoff.
This means you'll be able to start a FaceTime call
on your iPhone or iPad
and then fluidly pass it over to your Mac,
running Ventura or vice versa,
so if you're on an iPad in the kitchen,
making food while on FaceTime or you're out and about
on your iPhone and then arrive home,
you can walk over to your Mac
and move the FaceTime session over
without having to hang up and call the other person back.
As with all recent versions of macOS,
Ventura will be a free update for all compatible Macs,
and it'll be coming this fall, just a few months away.
Any questions, drop them in the comments below
and I'll meet you there for further discussion.
Thanks for watching as always, guys.
I appreciate your support.
I'm Andru Edwards and I will catch you in the next video.