Apple rolls out macOS 10.15 and your computer will never look the same
Apple has started releasing MacOS 10.15, also called Catalina, and the changes to some our favorites apps are big — the biggest with iTunes now gone.
Content that used to be stored in iTunes hasn't disappeared however, just the way your movies, music, podcasts and other entertainment are stored on your computer.
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These will not be stored in four different areas, three of them new with separate icons visible in your dock. You'll now find three new apps for Apple Music, Apple TV and Apple Podcasts.
iTunes, however, still remains on iOS as iTunes Store. But the latest mobile operating system for Apple, iOS 13, launched new apps on the iPhone as well, including Apple TV, Music and iTunes U.
There are a number of additional new tools that come with Catalina as well. One of the more exciting is the ability to use an iPad, with iPadOS 13, as a second display, a feature called Sidecar. We'll be testing Sidecar in coming days, although we do know that some older model iPads and Macs may not support the feature, and you will need an Apple Pencil as well. But the ability to simply use an iPad as a second screen for a Mac is likely to be a big pull for the iPad's resurgence as a device among Apple users. (We know we're interested in buying a new one.)
Apple Arcade — already on your updated iPhone and iPad — is not on the Mac. Yes, you need to pay the monthly subscription fee, but playing the games on your Mac is going to feel pretty swank after hovering over your smaller screen.
Curious enough now to test the new OS yourself? Pick up a good book because you're about to lose your computer for a bit of time. Here's how to download MacOS 10.15 Catalina:
- Go into the Launchpad — the icon in your dock that looks like a rocket ship
- Click on System Preferences.
- There should be a red circle with a 1 in it, click on that. That should start downloading the update.
- Be aware, this is a massive update. The OS is more than 8 GB, and can several hours to download depending on Wi-Fi speed.
- As with any new OS, have your computer plugged into a power source as the download starts
