Exploring macOS Monterey (Sequoia): Unveiling Launch Timeline, Device Support & Exciting Enhancements

Key Takeaways

• macOS 15, named macOS Sequoia, was unveiled at 10 AM PT on June 10, at WWDC, with the public launch due in fall.
• AI is a major focus in macOS Sequoia, with updates like a revamped Siri, impressive iPhone mirroring, window snapping tools, and more.
• Except for the 2018 MacBook Air, which is losing support, compatibility for Sequoia is the same as macOS 14 Sonoma. However, for Apple’s AI features you will also need an Apple Silicon processor.

Apple unveiled its AI plans alongside the updates to macOS 15 and iOS 18 at WWDC event today. Here’s a look at what you can expect to see from macOS 15, known as macOS Sequoia, and when you can try it out.

macOS Sequoia Release Date

macOS Sequoia was unveiled at Apple’s WWDC developer event on Monday, June 10. You can watch the big announcement on the Apple Events website, Apple’s YouTube channel , or via the video below.

Sticking to its usual schedule, Apple dropped a developer beta on the same day, and if you want to test out the update early, you’ll be able to get the public beta around five weeks later in July.

The final public launch will come in fall 2024. macOS versions usually become available in October, although 2023’s Sonoma launch was brought forward to September.

Just like the previous 11 versions, macOS 15 is named after a location in California: Sequoia national park.

macOS Sequoia Compatibility

When it comes to the question of which Macs will be compatible with macOS Sequoia, there are really two answers. For everyone except MacBook Air owners, if your Mac is running macOS 14 (Sonoma), then you’ll be able to update to Sequoia when it releases. For MacBook Air owners, Sequoia only supports the 2020 model and later (whereas Sonoma supported the 2018 model and later). The oldest models Sequoia is compatible with are the iMac Pro from 2017, and the 2018 MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini.

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However, whatever Mac you have, you’ll only be able to use the new AI features if you also have an Apple Silicon processor (M1 or later). You can check this by clicking the Apple logo and selecting “About This Mac.”

macOS Sequoia Features

The flagship feature of macOS Sequoia is definitely Apple’s version of AI, dubbed “Apple Intelligence.” This comes in the form of writing tools to help you compose or rewrite text, image creation tools, image editing tools, and massive improvements for Siri. As we’ve speculated, AI improvements like this could revolutionize the Mac experience .

The Siri improvements are possibly the most exciting, as Apple Intelligence enables it to better understand you and carry out tasks in apps on your behalf. All of this is built with privacy in mind, as many tasks will be carried out on your Mac. Those that do need extra computing power are sent to Apple’s secure cloud; but only the relevant data is sent and Apple has put several safeguards in place to protect your privacy.

Alongside the AI announcements, macOS Sequoia also sees an iPhone Mirroring addition to Continuity, which will allow you to operate your iPhone through an app on your Mac—you’ll also be able to receive and interact with iPhone notifications on your Mac. And alongside this, are other new additions, like window snapping tools, a Photos redesign, intelligent Safari highlights, a dedicated Passwords app, and more.

The macOS Sequoia developer beta is available right now, but it’s not recommended to install it on your machine as it’s unlikely to be very stable at this stage. Instead, if you’re desperate to try the new software before its full release in fall this year, you will be able to join the Apple public beta when it launches in July. There’s no exact date yet, but we typically see the program launch around mid-July.