What would you like to see in the next macOS release?

[Andrew73875]

My requests are mostly UI based.

I would like to see more balanced colours in the UI.

Less of this

And more of something like this.

Notice how Finder has different colours. There's no need for dark mode in this case.

Including menus and stacks in the dock:

Monterey:

Mountain Lion:

Music App improvements, including improved album view. Currently each album is opened on a new page. This makes album browsing very time-consuming:

It was more convenient before:

Older versions:

Which new features would you like to see in the next macOS?

 

[fisherking]

interesting question, but... mac os 13 has long since been planned out, and nothing we say here will change it. but no harm in a 'what if' conversation.

 

[southerndoc]

I would just like to see:

• Ability to mass delete text messages (instead of needing to delete individually). You can select multiple messages and delete all at once with the iPhone and iPad, but not with macOS.
• Ability to set a default viewing option and it apply to ALL folders unless specified otherwise. I like having all of my folders organized by kind and then file name. I find I have to do this with each and every folder instead of it applying to all folders.
• Time Machine to reliably connect/use SMB shares on an NAS (instead of requiring AFP to work properly).
• Ability to use a NAS volume for iCloud photos/music sync'ing. You can use the NAS for libraries, but Photos won't automatically download new photos taken on other devices unless you use a locally connected (i.e., USB) drive, internal drive, or create a sparse bundle file on the NAS.
• Actually honor the login items request to hide windows (user login items).
• Fix the annoying bug where the App Store resets the "allow in-app ratings and reviews" back to checked. I uncheck it on every device and somehow a week later it reappears as checked. It annoys me when apps ask for reviews. If I wanted to review an app, I should choose to do so on my own instead of having constant pop-ups. I will say a Hail Mary if this is the only bug fixed in macOS 13 and no other features or bugs are addressed. Yes, it is that annoying.
• Ability to sign into multiple iCloud accounts. I have one for work and one for personal use. Would be nice to use Messages with both accounts so I can respond to messages on my computer instead of needing to use my work phone.
• Send a warning to developers each and every time a non-Apple Silicon app is opened with Rosetta. Maybe Microsoft (Teams), Synology (SynologyDrive), and Adobe (remnants of CreativeCloud and their installers) will get the hint to make an AS version.

 

[TriciaMacMillan]

I would just like to see:

• Time Machine to reliably connect/use SMB shares on an NAS (instead of requiring AFP to work properly).

I agree with most of your feature wishes!

However, this one i don’t understand. AFP has been long deprecated, and SMB works reliably with Time Machine. I don’t have any problems with that. Which do you have?

I’ve only heard that SMB 2 is not as reliable, and that SMB 3 should be chosen, if both are available.

 

[Nermal]

I would be perfectly happy if the only 'feature' was 'we stopped ignoring the bug list'.

 

[TriciaMacMillan]

I would be perfectly happy if the only 'feature' was 'we stopped ignoring the bug list'.

I agree so whole-heartedly!

 

[southerndoc]

I agree with most of your feature wishes!

However, this one i don’t understand. AFP has been long deprecated, and SMB works reliably with Time Machine. I don’t have any problems with that. Which do you have?

I’ve only heard that SMB 2 is not as reliable, and that SMB 3 should be chosen, if both are available.

AFP is the only way I can get TM to work reliably with my Synology NAS. Maybe it's a Synology issue, but SMB doesn't reliably "broadcast" the TM (or the TM doesn't see it) and TM backups cause significant network lags when using SMB.

 

[BotchQue]

Just a built-in, cross-device multi-entry Clipboard. That's all.

Well, maybe a lower-lumbar massage setting too.

EDIT: ...with Heat!

 

[Apple_Robert]

Even though what we say here won't matter, I would like to see the ability to back up Notes (individually or collectively) to a specific place of one's choosing outside of iCloud.

I would also like to see a built-in download manager for Safari.

I would also like to have the ability to keep FileVault on while remote booting and logging back into my Mac.

 

[Reggaenald]

A lot of things, but I’d be happy with little more than bug fixes and performance improvements.
Mac OS Snow Again!

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

I want to see the new "Dynamic Wallpaper for Mac OS".

Trio of Friends Create Missing macOS Wallpaper of Monterey Landscape

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[Bustycat]

No more "Mac OS".

 

[webbga]

I think the Mail app needs a some attention and maybe a new look. I miss the font bar being in the tool bar and there does not seem to be a way to add it in. I also would like to see more color. I would not mind having different colors for different mailboxes. These are small items, but make a difference.

 

[solouki]

I would be perfectly happy if the only 'feature' was 'we stopped ignoring the bug list'.

No new features, just a more stable, more bug-free, operating system would be nice. I wish Apple would "fix" all of the little problems that arise, and not introduce new problems with the new features just for the sake of adding new features. It just seems that the annual new OSes tend to break many features/tools that were working properly in the old OSes but are now bug-ridden in the new OSes.

And I totally agree with Nermal: I get a response from Apple maybe once in every ten bug reports if I'm lucky --- probably my fault, or at least Apple sees it that way, but I don't.

Okay, maybe better VM/docker support on Apple Silicon would be nice.

 

[idmean]

I fully agree with the Music app. It's full of bugs, like the one where making a search query displays you a list of genres. Or the one that causes the app to hang, crash or freeze on my Intel MacBook Pro. Or maybe improve the performance. It sometimes takes seconds to load "Listen Now". And maybe add some cues on where you're supposed to click and where not. It's a usability disaster.

 

[TriciaMacMillan]

I’d also like to see existing features to be completed and not neglected after they have been introduced. Best example is Siri which was a milestone and absolutely unique when introduced, but hasn‘t received much attention from Apple since then, so now it’s become the dumbest and least helpful voice assistant of all.

Now the same seems to apply to the Music app.

 

[HackMacDaddy]

I'd like to see a modern version of Snow Leopard. I'd like there to be a "MacOS PRO" with feature updates and gimmicks every 3 years at most. Only stability and bug fixes. Let the consumers have a new OS every year with iOS like Eyecandy or make iOS more like MacOS, merge them, for people who do media consumption etc. But we pros need reliability and thats what I want.

 

[Yoms]

Ability to set a default viewing option and it apply to ALL folders unless specified otherwise. I like having all of my folders organized by kind and then file name. I find I have to do this with each and every folder instead of it applying to all folders.

Yes!!! This Finder behaviour has been this way for ages. But I don't hope for any improvement in that regards unfortunately. Apple has been stubborn for years on such topics. It's like hoping for having Cmd + X to cut in the Finder.

I would be perfectly happy if the only 'feature' was 'we stopped ignoring the bug list'.

+1

 

[RandomTox]

Real features. Haven't seen them for many years already.

 

[Andrew73875]

I also liked when they released these introduction videos for new macOS versions. These videos explain the direction they are going and give an overview of new features.

 

[Juuro]

I would like to see more balanced colours in the UI.

What do you mean by that exactly? What did you like more with the old look and feel?

My list:

• Password manager app
• Cycling routes in Germany/Europe
• Native Music app
• Bring back Aperture
• Fix all the bugs
• Make the Safari Team a priority (and allow other browser engines on iOS)

 

[Freeangel1]

Blu Ray Disc burning built into the OS. including right clicking and getting options to burn to Blu Ray

also DVD and BLU RAY software. Bring back iDVD or iBLU-RAY.

 

[Andrew73875]

What do you mean by that exactly? What did you like more with the old look and feel?

The new look implemented too much white colour across the OS. This in turn made it too bright and people asked for dark mode.

Ideally, there's no need for dark mode if UI is balanced. If it implements all kinds of colours.

Examples:

1. Stacks layout was black up until Yosemite.

It was changed into white.

Same goes with Finder. Too much white, too bight.

OS X Snow Leopard for comparison. It has grey header, light blue toolbar, almost no bright white colour. It's easier on the eyes and there's no need for dark mode.

Same goes with iMessage

Monterey:

Mountain Lion:

 

[hagjohn]

Instead of light or dark mode, have a slider, so you can choose something in between light and dark. The biggest thing I would like to see in the next OS's (across the board) is the ability to have Flac in the music app.

I would like to see in the music store is having better quality of songs (and at the same volume level). There are so many different quality of songs in the store that make it hard to pick the best sounding one. A song can sound great on your computer but when you go into your car, for example, the volume level can be very low.

 

[fisherking]

the problem with this kind-of thread is.... everyone has a wish list (for example, 'flac' in the music app... which, if it hasn't happened by now, isn't going to happen).

if apple let the OS be designed by it's users, it would look like homer simpson's car design (look it up).

again, am not saying there's a problem in discussing things. but mocking up a 'better look', and then finding the next OS doesn't reflect that... will only lead to disappointment (and more threads like this). and round & round we go...