MacOS Ventura operating system, 5 functions to try now

After about four months of beta and preliminary versions, macOS Ventura is finally available in a public version. The update of the Mac operating system, as always totally free, brings with it a series of interesting news. Apple has added features, fixed some bugs, and enabled completely new user experiences, such as Continuity Camera or shared photo libraries, which take advantage of the deep integration of the Apple ecosystem. Here is a selection of five features to try right away.

Stage Manager

The most scenic novelty of macOS Ventura is called Stage Manager. It’s a new way of multitasking that Apple has brought to Mac and iPad at the same time. It is an attempt, only partially successful for now, to bring the user experience of Apple’s desktop computers and tablets a little closer.

It is activated from the Control Center and works by placing the app you are working on in the center and in the foreground. All the others are automatically rearranged in a sort of second Dock, on the side. The apps in the background continue to function normally and can receive notifications and messages or continue a download. In the individual workspaces, you can then open multiple windows to be resized as desired.

The aim is not to replace the traditional floating window interaction system, but to offer an alternative to quickly organize workspaces without wasting time. And if you want to go back to normal interaction mode, just click the Stage Manager button again in the Control Center to redistribute windows to one or more desktops.

The iPhone as a webcam

With macOS Ventura, the iPhone can be transformed into a high-quality webcam.
The function is called Continuity Camera: it is available on all Macs compatible with the new system coupled with iPhone XR or later models.
Just bring the iPhone close to the Mac while it is locked and in a horizontal position, and automatically the system will suggest to use the smartphone camera as a Webcam in the options of FaceTime, Zoom and other similar apps.
With iPhone 11 or later, there is also a subject tracking mode called Auto Framing and the “Desktop Pan”, which simulates the shot from above to show the face of the user and what is on the table at the same time. in front of a computer.
For those who have at least one iPhone 12, the “Photo set light” effect is also available on the framed subject, while all compatible iPhones can take advantage of the portrait mode to blur the background.

FaceTime from one device to another

The Handoff function, which allows you to transfer activities in progress between devices in the Apple ecosystem, arrives (finally) also for FaceTime. Thanks to the new option it is possible to move an active call between a Mac, iPhone or iPad connected to the same Apple ID. In order to use Handoff for Facetime, in addition to macOS Ventura, tablets and smartphones must also be updated to the latest versions of their respective operating systems.

Shared iCloud library

On Photos for Mac (but also on iPhone and iPad) comes the possibility of sharing a dedicated library with friends and family. The inclusion of photos in the library can be manual or automatic, thanks to a series of programmable rules based, for example, on the date of shooting or the presence of a specific face in the photo. Based on usage, the system will also suggest other shots to add to the library, while retouching, keywords, captions, and other photo information stay in sync across all of the devices sharing the library.

Goodbye to passwords

With the arrival of macOS Ventura and iPadOS 16, Apple launches support for “passkeys”, cryptographic pairs that promise to replace passwords forever when accessing websites and applications. The system is based on the standard defined by the FIDO alliance, and in a nutshell it will allow you to use FaceID or TouchID instead of passwords for direct access to services, thanks to a public key and a private key generated by the device and saved locally. Passkeys are not Apple’s prerogative and can also be used outside the Apple ecosystem, on a Windows PC or Android smartphone, when support arrives on other platforms over the next few months.
The only obstacle to adoption for now is the adhesion to the system by sites and apps, but given the joint interest of Apple, Microsoft and Google it is very likely that in a couple of years we will talk about passwords in the past tense. .

The other news

The new macOS Ventura brings with it a long series of other minor improvements and features, which overall contribute to the overall improvement of the system’s user experience.
Apple has prepared a comprehensive list that lists them all. Among the others that have not found space in our five, but which we point out with an honorable mention are:

• The new Clock application borrowed from iOS and iPadOS: allows you to set alarms, timers and everything that can already be done with the homologous app for smartphones and tablets
• The new look of the System Settings: they are now organized with a side tab, just like on iOS and iPadOS
• Mac TouchID lock for “Hidden” and “Recently Deleted” photo albums
• Scheduled sending and canceling sending (up to thirty seconds after pressing the key) of the mail messages in Mail
• Background sounds function to reduce distractions while working, available from the Accessibility menu

Compatible Macs

The new macOS Ventura can be installed via the “system update” item in the settings. It is compatible with:

• All iMac, iMac Pro, MacBook, MacBook Pro released from 2017 onwards
• All MacBook Air and Mac mini manufactured from 2018 onwards
• Mac Pro and Mac Studio