Apple’s latest updates to macOS and iOS have arrived! From now on when you buy a snazzy new Apple device, it'll come pre-installed with High Sierra on Mac or iOS 11 on iPad and iPhone, and both OS upgrades are packed full of great new features.
macOS High Sierra
High Sierra provides loads of great enhancements. From added GPU capabilities like machine learning, virtual reality, and external GPU support, to a more expressive Siri, the latest macOS is the best yet.
New features
Apple File System (APFS)
One of High Sierra’s great new features is that it comes with Apple’s new, modern file system, APFS (Apple File System). Optimised for all?flash internal storage and with an advanced architecture, it brings a new level of security and responsiveness to managing your data.
High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC)
Up to 40% better compression than before, the new industry-standard for 4K video is now available on your Mac. Your videos will stream better and take up less space on your Mac, but you maintain the same great visual quality.
Metal 2 graphics
Metal 2 is a technology built into macOS that lets you access the full power of your Mac’s GPU. For High Sierra, Metal 2 not only takes the visual experience to the next level, but also adds capabilities like machine learning, virtual reality, and external GPU support for entertainment and professional creative apps.
Photos
High Sierra makes your growing library more organised and accessible, with intuitive editing tools to help you perfect your images. Filter your photo collections by your favourite criteria, find what you’re looking for quickly and easily with the always-on sidebar, and fine tune your photos with powerful tools like Curves for contrast and colour adjustments, and Selective Colour to make colours more saturated.
Intelligent tracking prevention
Safari now uses machine learning to identify advertisers and others who track your online behavior, and removes tracking data they leave behind – so you can browse in peace without seeing that same ad pop up again and again.
Siri
Siri gets a more expressive makeover with a more natural voice, and more changes in expression, intonation and emphasis based on what it’s saying. It can also learn your music preferences to make suggestions, or play you something to suit your mood.
Upgrading to High Sierra
High Sierra’s powerful new features may make you want to dive right in, but before you rush into upgrading your business to the new macOS, there are a few things to consider.
You may already be aware of some of the challenges your business might face in upgrading to a new OS – needing to control who upgrades when, and ensuring as little downtime as possible. With High Sierra, you’ll also need to consider the impact of the APFS on a mixed Mac estate. While you’d still be able to share files between new and old Macs switching to SMB, AFP won’t be able to share files with the new APFS. This could cause issues if you have different team members using different OSes.
You’ll also need to consider imaging, as you may find yourself needing to move DEP (Device Enrolment Program) workflows or purchase mobile device management (MDM) software to push out images across multiple machines. Finally, before you upgrade your entire estate to High Sierra, you’ll need to ensure that your current infrastructure is supported. If you try to use a monolithic system image, required firmware updates will be missing from the installation. This causes the Mac to operate in an unsupported and unstable state.
To help you get your head around this, Apple have published a Preparing for macOS High Sierra document, which you can download here.
We can also support you in your transition to Apple’s new macOS. If you’d like an audit on your existing estate, we can help you work out how best to transition seamlessly with minimal downtime. Plus, we’ll train your IT staff at the same time on how best to utilise all the new features!
iOS 11
iOS 11 promises to make your iPhone and iPad more powerful and personal than ever. With updated features for everything from Siri to Apple Pay, we had a look at why the latest version of iOS is said to be the most intelligent it’s ever been…
New features
Files
The new Files app lets you easily browse, search and organise all your files in one place, with a dedicated place for recent files, as well as those on other iOS devices, in iCloud Drive and across other services like Box and Dropbox.
Dock (for iPad)
The new Dock is now available from any screen, so with just a swipe you can open and switch apps instantly. Plus, you can customise it with more of your favourites. Recently and currently open apps on your iPhone or Mac will appear in the right side of the Dock.
Apple Pay
With iOS 11, the convenience of Apple Pay is brought to Messages, so sending and receiving money between friends is as simple as having a conversation. You can use Apple Pay with your credit or debit card to send money instantly and securely, and request and receive money just as easily within Messages.
Live Photos
Improved Live Photos mean you can be more expressive and creative in your shots. iOS 11 allows you to turn a Live Photo into a video loop, or play them in reverse with Bounce. And with Long Exposure, you can create beautiful effects usually only possible with a DSLR camera.
QuickType keyboard (for iPad)
You’ll no longer need to switch back and forth between keyboards, as letters, numbers, symbols and punctuation marks will now all be on the same keyboard – just flick down on a key to select what you need.
Siri
iOS 11 makes your personal assistant more personal – and even more intelligent. Siri gains a natural, expressive voice, and advanced machine learning means that it will get to know your tastes and preferences. So now if you ask Siri to play you some music, it knows what you’re going to like – no risk of it accidentally playing Jedward when you’re trying to impress someone.
Control Centre
With the redesigned Control Centre, you can customise the settings for the things you do the most. You can add a Voice Memos control, Home controls, and use 3D Touch in Control Centre to unlock even more commands.
Coming very soon… new emoji
Finally all our campaigning has paid off, and iOS 11 will soon usher in the era of the zebra emoji! Well, that’s what we’re calling it at any rate. There’s also a woman in a headscarf, a dinosaur, a zombie, a bearded man and a breastfeeding woman added to the lineup.
Adding devices to Apple School Manager or DEP
With iOS 11, you can now add iOS and tvOS devices to Apple School Manager or DEP using Apple Configurator 2.5, even if the devices weren’t purchased directly from Apple, an Apple-authorised reseller or an authorised cellular carrier. When you set up a device that has been manually enrolled, it will behave like any other enrolled device, with mandatory supervision and mobile device management (MDM) enrolment. Users will have a 30-day provisional period to remove the device from enrolment, supervision and MDM.
iOS 11 is available now.
Want to know more? Get in touch with the team on 03332 409 306 or by emailing solutions@Jigsaw24.com to speak to one of our consultants. You can stay up to date with all the latest from Apple by following us on Twitter @WeAreJigsaw24 or by liking us on Facebook.