Hey friends, hope you’re well!
You’ve probably heard about Apple’s recent launch, Wonderlust. As usual, the rumour mill’s been in overdrive leading up to this event. So what’s actually been unveiled, and how can you get all the new tech in your hands?
The big news from Wonderlust
While Wonderlust won’t be remembered as one of Apple’s most thrilling launches, it has introduced a range of smaller and incremental improvements. We’ve seen announcements for iPhone, Apple Watch, iOS and macOS at the September 2023 event, so let’s see what each of these entails.
iPhone 15
It’s finally here! The iPhone 15 sees the anticipated shift to USB-C for charging, which not only streamlines compatibility but, more notably enables charging of AirPods or an Apple Watch from the handset. All models now have Dynamic Island, an advanced 48-megapixel main camera, and features to enhance portraits. This includes automatic switching to portrait mode when there’s a person (or a dog!) in the frame. In addition, the 15 Pro models have 5x telephoto capability to put what the launch called ‘the equivalent of seven camera lenses’ into your pocket.
Pro models of the 15 also have an alternative to the mute switch called the Action Button, which you can use to program a range of helpful shortcuts like opening the camera or starting a voice memo. Rest assured, you can still choose to use the Action Button to switch your phone to silent mode and back again.
Tim Cook said iPhone 15 is the most ‘Pro’ iPhone Apple has ever created. And at this point, even the base model is set to deliver a great experience.
Pricing starts from US$799, and from $1199 for the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2
Apple Watch has also seen some exciting upgrades, with the first real processor upgrade since 2020 with the S9 chip. Siri requests are now processed in-device for faster responses. You can expect the brightest screen to date, at 2,000 nits, and new touch-free gestures for answering calls, silencing alarms and other actions.
The Ultra 2 is even brighter at 3,000nits. With a 95% recycled titanium case, these new Apple Watch models are actually carbon neutral.
Pricing starts at US$399, and from $799 for the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
iOS 17
We’ve been expecting news of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, and 18 September has just been announced as the launch date. iOS 17 brings with it new safety features, a slick new nightstand mode, improved auto-correct, a built-in journaling app and redesigned contact cards. You’ll gain live voicemail, where you can see voicemail being transcribed in real time. You’ll be able to leave a message on FaceTime, and summon Siri without the ‘hey’ by simply saying ‘Siri’. Another of the great new features is Check-In, which can automatically notify selected contacts that you’ve arrived safely at a destination.
Check out my list of settings to change once you’ve updated to iOS 17 to unlock more of the new features and functionality.
macOS Sonoma
Apple has also announced the release data for macOS 14, named macOS Sonoma (after Northern California’s wine country). Sonoma will be available to the public on 26 September. This update brings with it interactive desktop widgets and videoconferencing features like Presenter Overlay, which allows you to overlay your webcam over your screen share. There’s also the handy new Game Mode, which kicks in automatically for an optimised gaming experience using top CPU and GPU priority.
Having already tested macOS Sonoma, I can say this update brings a lot of smaller changes that can make a big difference to your overall Mac use.
How to get the best from your macOS Sonoma update
As with any new major upgrade, there are a few steps you can take to get the best out of all those new features.
1. Prep your Mac for macOS Sonoma
Will you have enough space to install macOS Sonoma? While the upgrade takes up around 13GB, you’ll want to make sure you have at least 25GB of free space on your Mac before you start so you can minimise any issues with downloading or installing the update.
You could do this by manually hunting down large files to delete – or, you can just do it the easy way using CleanMyMac X You can use this app to effortlessly remove tons of junk like old cache files, unused apps, incomplete downloads and other space-wasters. Tools like Space Lens and Smart Scan make it really easy to take a deep dive into your hard drive.
- Smart Scan is the ideal way to begin, as this works through a number of modules to sort out unneeded and even harmful items from your Mac.
- Meanwhile, Space Lens builds a visual storage map of your hard drives that makes it incredibly easy to drill down into your folders and files and remove unnecessary bloat.
The real value of CleanMyMac X is that you can either let the software do the work for you, or you can be as detailed as you like. Before you know it you’ll have freed up valuable GBs for that macOS Sonoma upgrade. Download CleanMyMac X for free now to see how much space you can potentially save.
2. Change your settings
As soon as you’ve updated to macOS Sonoma, I’d strongly recommend setting a few minutes aside to update your settings and access all that shiny new functionality. I’ve written a guide to 12 key settings to change to help you get the most out of your Sonoma upgrade. This includes how to add favourite web pages to your dock, and how to access the improved keyboard dictation feature.
Investing in a new Mac?
It’s been an exciting year for Apple launches overall, including the MacBook Air, 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro and of course the Mac Studio with the M2 Ultra. If you are thinking about upgrading your Mac soon, it’s also worth thinking about installing CleanMyMac X from day one to keep everything running smoothly. Not only will the app help you continually clear out the clutter, but it can also protect against Mac-specific viruses, trojans, data miners, and recent browser hijackers. It’s honestly one of the first things I install on any new Mac. You can either purchase licenses for multiple Macs, or simply migrate the licence from one Mac to another as you upgrade.
CleanMyMac X makes my own life so much easier that I got a discount for you from the good people at MacPaw. Just follow my referral link to get 20% off, right here.