As Apple releases macOS Monterey public beta, an in-depth look at Focus, iCloud Private Relay, Safari's revamped UI, FaceTime, SharePlay, and other new features
Monterey’s public beta follows the iOS and iPadOS 15 public betas, which introduced the same Focus controls, redesigned Safari, and SharePlay. That overlap makes the Mac release part of a coordinated platform update rather than a standalone desktop refresh.
Apple has used public betas to expose major macOS interface and system changes before broad release, from Big Sur’s Control Center and widget redesign to Mojave’s Dark Mode and Catalina’s cross-platform-app shift.
First-order effects
Mac users who opt into the public beta can test Monterey’s Focus, iCloud Private Relay, Safari redesign, FaceTime, and SharePlay ahead of the final release.
Apple receives feedback across the Mac version of features already appearing in its iPhone and iPad public betas, especially shared services such as Focus and SharePlay.
Second-order effects
Developers and users operating across Apple devices must evaluate how the shared Focus, Safari, and SharePlay experiences behave across macOS, iOS, and iPadOS rather than treating each release independently.
Safari’s redesigned interface extends a pattern of macOS beta releases in which Apple uses public testing to surface consequential interface changes before general availability.
Third-order effects
If Apple continues to introduce the same services through coordinated public betas, feature design and release validation will increasingly be organized around the Apple-device ecosystem rather than individual operating systems.
The trend: Apple’s public-beta cycle is becoming a vehicle for synchronizing shared services and interface changes across Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
This is just a continuation of the same question we've been asking for years: “Does Apple... actually use these products?” Whether it's the anti-ergonomic design of the Apple remote, antagonistic UX of Big Sur, or this monstrosity, it seems like no one ever runs after compile... …
Apple released a public beta of macOS Monterey today. It supports Mac Pro (late 2013), which includes a CPU released in early 2012. By the time macOS Monterey ships, it will support a CPU that's nearly 10 years old
I'm not a fan of Safari on Monterey so far. The tab bar's interaction design sounds smart in theory but it's a mess in practice. Even basic system-wide interactions like reordering tabs don't work anymore. And really, web developers shouldn't be able to tint the user's toolbar...…
I'm excited about Shortcuts, but Safari is a mixed bag. Tab groups are great, and I like the focus on content, but the streamlined tab bar crams too much into one horizontal strip to be useful for many users. https://twitter.com/...