MacOS 15 to feature a big redesign of System Settings and Siri, according to report
Apple’s macOS15 is coming soon. It is expected to debut at WWDC in June, and it sounds like Apple is planning to rearrange the menus and app UIs.
A report from Apple Insider suggests that the system settings app will see most of this rearranging.
When macOS Ventura was released in 2022, the System Preferences app was renamed to System Settings. At the time, the app was redesigned to function and look more like the iOS version on the iPhone and iPad.
Different settings will be reorganized based on importance and priority. According to the report, the notification and sound settings will be moved lower down the list. This is included with music and audio changes including a Passthrough feature for audio hardware and smart song transitions.
General Settings is being moved up under Network settings. Other changes include Wallpaper and Display being moved into General settings. Privacy and Security will be smushed together with Touch ID and Password. The Siri and Spotlight settings will be shoved into Internet accounts and Game Center.
Siri is also seeing some other smaller UI changes. A new monochromatic menu bar icon is being introduced to blend in with existing ones. Currently, the Siri icon is multicolored. Siri is expected to see massive improvements under the hood across all Apple operating systems with the new Apple Ajax AI language learning model.
Other changes include the continued shift from the long-standing Apple ID to Apple Account. With that, a number of redesigned UI elements will be added that will affect the two-factor authentication settings and sign-in. iCloud is also changing and will be separate from Apple Account. iCloud settings will be in the same place as Internet account settings, Apple Pay and password settings.
Beyond the settings app, Calculator, Notes, Safari and Voice Memos will also receive visual updates. The Calculator is being made to look more like the iOS version and will add a new Math Notes feature that supports proper mathematical notation.
Apparently, Safari is gaining a unified menu for page controls that is being added to the URL bar. This menu will allow users to toggle features like Web Eraser and Intelligent Browser.
This report confirms previous rumors that the Notes app is getting audio recording, transcription and AI tools. Voice Memos will also receive AI audio transcription.
The annual Worldwide Developers Conference starts on June 10. It is expected that Apple will unveil more about macOS 15, iOS 18, visionOS 2 and watchOS 11.
