Mac Update: With macOS Big Sur, Apple succeeds where Microsoft failed with Windows 8

Opinion: macOS Big Sur is everything I wanted and more

The UI is that the best it's ever been. Here is my story. (Image credit: Apple)\

When most of the people consider Apple lately, products just like the iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch are probably the primary things that come to mind. that creates tons of sense, through these mobile platforms, Apple, alongside Google with its Android mobile OS, has fundamentally changed the way people interact with technology on a day today.

While laptops aren't going anywhere, regardless of what percentage weird commercials Apple releases asking what a computer is, there's definitely tons to be said about finding ways of melding the user experience between these different devices.

That's been tried before – both with Windows 8 and ChromeOS – with mixed leads to terms of usability. However, it's with macOS 11 Big Sur that Apple may have just cracked the code. this is often due partially to the update's new design elements and Mac Catalyst, which can bring essentially every iOS and iPadOS app to Mac.

Trying to level the walls

MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020)This remains how you will be using macOS (Image credit: Future)

When the iPad launched 10 years ago, I do not think anyone was expecting it to be as huge because it ended up being. I had tons of friends who just laughed it off as a "watered down" computer, instead of something that might ignite a tablet revolution. And, to be clear, it definitely wasn't the primary tablet, but you cannot tell me the iPad wasn't what popularized the shape factor.

A couple years later, Windows 8 was released, with its touch-friendly UI, doing away with the beginning menu that numerous people have grown won't to over the years. This was largely done to permit Windows tablets, phones, and computers to all or any operate an equivalent platform, in theory boosting compatibility between the three.

However, Windows tablets never really took off within the same way as iOS or maybe Android tablets did. In practice, this meant that desktop users were cursed with an interface that was woefully inept for desktop usage. Microsoft eventually did alleviate a number of this pain by reintroducing the beginning menu with Windows 8.1 then Windows 10, but there are still plenty of individuals who yearn for the times of Windows 7 and Windows XP instead.

Just to offer credit where it's due, Microsoft has made tons of progress from where things were with Windows 8. However, within the interest of creating Windows 10 touch-friendly, it's still not as desktop-friendly as Windows 7 or XP were. there's a wealth of mods and software out there to bring older Windows interfaces back to Windows 10, which should speak volumes to what proportion some users would really like to urge obviate the touch-friendliness altogether.

Ideally, Microsoft would make a touch-friendly interface optional, sort of a toggle somewhere within the settings which will enable or disable the tile interface within the new touch menu, without users having to scour the online for potentially harmful software. But, for the nonce it looks like Windows 10 is stuck during this "is it touches or isn't it" limbo.

Sowing the seeds

Messages may be a lot better, tooMessages may be a lot better, too (Image credit: Apple)

When macOS 10.14 Mojave hit, bringing with it four iOS apps: Home, Apple News, Stocks, and Voice Memos. None of those were particularly exciting, but it did give us a glimpse of what a unified – or more unified – Apple ecosystem could appear as if. Apple further expanded upon this with macOS 10.15 Catalina with Apple Catalyst, which gave Apple developers a full suite of tools to port mobile apps to macOS.

That is even further expanded with macOS 11 Big Sur, with Apple claiming that each iOS app is going to be compatible together with your Mac, which is certainly huge. Add on thereto the shift to Apple Silicon later this year, and there is an enormous shift within the way Macs operate, albeit functionally they'll serve an equivalent purpose.

But it's quite just app compatibility here. The macOS Big Sur's UI brings during a ton of inspiration from the planning philosophy of iOS. this might cause some concern for anyone having flashbacks to Windows 8's marriage of desktop and mobile design, but there's one thing to stay in mind: there still won't be touchscreen macs.

Unfortunately, no Aaliyah's music still isn't on Apple Music, I just own the CDs (thank you iCloud Music Library)Unfortunately, no Aaliyah's music still isn't on Apple Music, I just own the CDs

Mice can stay

(thank you iCloud Music Library) (Image credit: Apple)

Now, this might be a hot take, but I feel touchscreens are a tad overrated on Windows devices. Even after using many touchscreen laptops, none of them have really struck me as actually needing a touchscreen. There are certain devices that are aimed toward artists, however, it seems that drawing tablets are typically still the thanks to going if you would like to make art on your device – a less expensive solution, too.

Apple, however, still refuses to release a MacBook with a touchscreen, which suggests there's one core thanks to interacting with a computer – and that is with a keyboard and mouse (or trackpad). What this suggests is that the UI is purpose-built around it, and there are not any real growing pains.

So, when Apple brought over tons of design cues from iOS, it's more love it took the iOS design of something like, say, center, and twisted it to suit into a desktop setup.

On macOS Big Sur, once you click to open up the center , it doesn't take up the whole screen love it does on your iPhone. Instead, you only get a little sink menu that features a similar design but doesn't take up an excessive amount of space.

In the current Beta build, it isn't the foremost useful menu within the world, but having a fast thanks to enabling or disable Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, change volume and brightness is genuinely useful – especially if you're employing a MacBook Air or a Mac desktop that does not have quick access to sliders like that through the Touch Bar.

Plus having easy-to-use widgets that I can access anywhere by just swiping with two fingers to the left is extremely useful. Right now, the sole widgets I even have thereon bar are the planet clock – as I work with people everywhere the world – and a weather app, so I can tell at a look whether or not I'm getting to melt within the NY sun as soon as I walk outside.

This is a really mobile phone-inspired feature, too, but again it's implemented during a way that does not interrupt whatever you're performing on. The notification tray where the widgets live is transparent with Big Sur, which suggests they take up as little or the maximum amount of your screen as you would like them to. this is often huge when you're just checking the time when performing on a photoshop project.

And, yeah, you'll do an equivalent thing on a Windows laptop. But don't even try telling me that Windows trackpads are anywhere near as responsive or gesture-friendly as a Mac trackpad. Apple has nailed the trackpad years ago, and nobody has trapped – albeit Dell and Razer are beginning to get close.

The only real problem I even have with either one thus far is that the lack of customization for the center. My favorite thing about the feature on iOS is that I can add shortcuts to things just like the Screen Recorder, the camera, or a calculator. But again, we're still early within the macOS Big Sur Public Beta – in order that can definitely change.

It's not here yet, but Apple quite wins?

Nothing gets within the way, and it's great. Nothing gets within the way, and it's great. (Image credit: Apple)

I have not by any means exhausted all the great stuff coming to macOS Big Sur, and there's definitely tons. But throughout my time with the new OS, I can not help but consider Windows 8.

I have had hot takes within the past defending Windows 8, and to the present day, I feel that OS may be a bit too maligned. But Apple merged mobile and desktop design in a tremendous way here, and I am getting to say it.

And I'm sure that Apple wants to sell you both a MacBook and an iPad for users that want that touchscreen experience, and a touchscreen MacBook would quite defeat that. But, hey, that's a discussion for an additional day.

For immediately, however, Apple deserves some praise for bringing this new design philosophy to macOS without falling to equivalent pitfalls that caused Windows 8 to become the joke it's today.




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