Apple officially releases macOS Catalina

Apple has officially released macOS Catalina, the next-generation update for Mac that adds a wide range of new features and capabilities, including an all-new Music app that replaces iTunes, redesigned Reminders and Photos apps to mirror those released with iOS 13, the ability to back up, update, and restore devices through Finder, new TV & Podcasts apps, and much more.

The update was first unveiled at WWDC in June, with numerous betas shared to developers and registered testers since its debut.

macOS Catalina allows developers access to a new framework named ‘Catalyst’, the end result of Apple’s long running Marzipan project. The framework allows for iPad apps to be turned into Mac applications without a full scale Mac-specific code rewrite, with Apple previewing a small selection of apps that will launch on the Mac including Twitter, TripIt and Jira Cloud at WWDC earlier in the year.

Twitter for Mac | Apple

Additionally, macOS Catalina brings Screen Time to the Mac, offering users reports that show an overview of how their time is being spent on the Mac, showing which apps are used most and how many notifications are received. Screen Time data syncs between devices, allowing for one single report to be generated that covers usage information across iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Mac.

The release of macOS Catalina today also sees Apple officially launch Apple Arcade on the Mac. Apple Arcade allows subscribers unlimited access to over 100 new and exclusive games for one monthly fee. The service is priced at $4,99 per-month, with new subscribers eligible for a month free trial.

Here’s a full list of the macOS Catalina features. The update is free to download, available on the following machines…

• MacBook (2015 and later)
• MacBook Air (2012 and later)
• MacBook Pro (2012 and later)
• iMac (2012 and later)
• iMac Pro (2017 and later)
• Mac Pro (2013 and later)