{"id":44944,"date":"2018-06-12T09:55:39","date_gmt":"2018-06-12T14:55:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eshop.macsales.com\/blog\/?p=44944"},"modified":"2018-06-18T15:15:24","modified_gmt":"2018-06-18T20:15:24","slug":"whats-new-in-macos-mojave-a-first-look-at-the-developer-beta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eshop.macsales.com\/blog\/44944-whats-new-in-macos-mojave-a-first-look-at-the-developer-beta\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s New in macOS Mojave: A First Look at the Developer Beta"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

I was expecting a version of the macOS that would mostly be about security and performance, but while I expected a fastball, Apple threw us a curve. Apple announced that macOS Mojave not only included the expected security, performance, and privacy improvements, but also an OS loaded with new features. (See our first look at iOS 12 here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

I installed the developer beta of Mojave on an external SSD<\/a> that housed a recent clone of my High Sierra startup drive. The upgrade install of macOS Mojave went without a hitch.<\/p>\n

I also tried to install Mojave beta as a guest OS in my favorite virtual machine app. That didn’t go as well, but it\u2019s the first beta, and the VM people will need some time to track down what appears to be graphics display issues.<\/p>\n

I chose to test Mojave on a 2014 27-inch Retina 5K iMac<\/a> with a 4 GHz i7 processor and 16 GB of RAM<\/a>. Mojave will support most Macs from the year 2012 on, however, there are exceptions that can allow older models to work, as well as prevent newer models from being able to install Mojave. You\u2019ll find all the details in A Complete List of Mojave Compatible Macs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This is a first impression of macOS Mojave, which was just made available in a developer beta. As such, features we see today may not make it all the way through the beta, or they may undergo significant changes before a public release.<\/p>\n

With the background out of the way, let\u2019s move on to what’s new in macOS Mojave.<\/p>\n

Dark Mode<\/strong>
\nOne of the new features that\u2019s getting a bit of press is Dark Mode. This system-wide theme is an extension of the current Dark scheme introduced with OS X Yosemite<\/a> that can be enabled for menus and the Dock. The new version of Dark Mode extends the dark theme to most of the system, and applications that Apple bundles with the OS. The apps most of us routinely use, including Mail, iTunes, Finder, and Photos, have all moved to the dark side.<\/p>\n

\"\"
(The new Dark Mode theme is applied not only to menus and the Dock, but also to most Apple apps; in the near future, third-party apps will be able to use the theme as well.)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Apple is also making the Dark Mode API available to third-party developers, so your favorite apps will likely support Dark Mode sometime in the future.<\/p>\n

Dark Mode is a user-applied theme; you can turn Dark Mode on or off as you wish, using the Mac’s General preference pane. You can also customize Dark Mode slightly by selecting from one of eight accent colors used to highlight menus you select.<\/p>\n

Dark Mode can be helpful when working within certain apps and workflows. Generally, apps that benefit from having work surfaces, such as menus, toolbars, and palettes, blend into the background while the creative content you\u2019re working on takes center stage, will benefit from Dark Mode. Other apps, such as web browsers, don\u2019t seem to benefit as much. Give Dark Mode a try with Photos, video editing apps, audio production, CAD, CAE, and 3D modeling apps; even Apple’s Maps app seems to benefit from this UI change.<\/p>\n

Dark Mode is a system-wide selection; you can turn it on or off across the entire system, but not by individual apps.<\/p>\n

Dynamic Desktop<\/strong>
\nThe Dynamic Desktop is a series of wallpapers that subtly change throughout the day. Mojave’s default desert sand dune displays shadows that move as the day progresses, and a sky that changes for sunrise and sunset.<\/p>\n

\"\"
(Dynamic Desktop wallpaper will change appearance as the time of day changes.)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The concept isn\u2019t new; many third-party developers have offered changing desktops in the past. Perhaps the best known are the world maps that display a dynamic night\/day view of the earth.<\/p>\n

The first beta only included a single Dynamic Desktop, though it\u2019s likely there will be a number of them included when Mojave ships in the fall.<\/p>\n

\"\"
(The Finder\u2019s preview pane can now display a wide selection of metadata about a selected file. In the first beta, I had problems with the metadata showing up. Image courtesy of Apple.)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Finder Improvements<\/strong>
\nI spend a lot of time working in the Finder, so I\u2019m always hoping for new features being added to the Finder. Mojave brings a number of Finder improvements, including:<\/p>\n