MacOS Catalina

MacOS_Catalina_wordmark

macOS Catalina (version 10.15) is the sixteenth major release of macOS, Apple Inc.'s desktop operating system for Macintosh computers. It was announced at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 3, 2019, and was released to the public on October 7, 2019. macOS Catalina is named after Santa Catalina Island, located off the coast of southern California.

Features[edit | edit source]

macOS Catalina introduced several new features and improvements over its predecessor, macOS Mojave.

Sidecar[edit | edit source]

One of the most notable features is Sidecar, which allows an iPad to be used as a second display for a Mac. This feature supports both wired and wireless connections and includes support for the Apple Pencil.

Catalyst[edit | edit source]

Catalyst is a new technology that allows developers to port their iPadOS apps to macOS with minimal changes. This initiative aims to increase the number of available apps on the Mac platform.

Apple Arcade[edit | edit source]

macOS Catalina includes support for Apple Arcade, a subscription-based gaming service that provides access to a curated collection of games.

Music, TV, and Podcasts[edit | edit source]

Catalina replaces the iTunes application with three separate apps: Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts. This change aims to streamline media consumption on macOS.

Security Enhancements[edit | edit source]

Catalina introduces several security enhancements, including Gatekeeper improvements, data protections, and a dedicated system volume that is read-only to prevent tampering.

Voice Control[edit | edit source]

Voice Control is a new accessibility feature that allows users to control their Mac entirely with their voice. This feature is designed to help users with motor impairments.

Find My[edit | edit source]

The new Find My app combines the functionality of Find My iPhone and Find My Friends into a single application, allowing users to locate their Apple devices and friends.

System Requirements[edit | edit source]

macOS Catalina requires a Mac with a 64-bit Intel processor and at least 4 GB of RAM. It is compatible with the following models:

MacBook (2015 and later)
MacBook Air (2012 and later)
MacBook Pro (2012 and later)
Mac Mini (2012 and later)
iMac (2012 and later)
iMac Pro (2017 and later)
Mac Pro (2013 and later)

Reception[edit | edit source]

macOS Catalina received mixed reviews upon release. While many praised the new features and security enhancements, some users reported issues with app compatibility and system stability. The removal of 32-bit app support was a significant change that affected many legacy applications.