Tuesday, June 6th 2017

macOS High Sierra Delivers Advanced Technologies for Storage, Video & Graphics

Apple today previewed macOS High Sierra, the latest version of the world's most advanced desktop operating system, delivering new core storage, video and graphics technologies that pave the way for future innovation on the Mac. macOS High Sierra offers an all-new file system, support for High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) and an update to Metal, Apple's advanced graphics technology that powers everything from machine learning to virtual reality content creation. macOS High Sierra also includes a number of refinements to the apps Mac users enjoy every day, including Photos, Safari and Mail.

"macOS High Sierra delivers important forward-looking technologies and new opportunities for developers wanting to tap into the power of machine learning and create immersive VR content on the Mac," said Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering. "The core technology innovations in macOS High Sierra, combined with our advances in hardware, will continue to push the Mac forward in exciting new ways."
Apple File System
Apple File System (APFS) features enhanced performance, security and reliability of data and provides a foundation for future storage innovations. An advanced architecture optimized for today's massive storage technologies, APFS makes common operations such as copying files and directories instantaneous, helps protect data from power outages and system crashes and keeps files safe and secure with native encryption. macOS High Sierra also maintains complete read-and-write compatibility with previously formatted HFS drives and data and is designed to accommodate future advancements in storage technology.

High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC)
Support for industry-standard HEVC (H.265) enables video streaming and playback of 4K video files at incredible quality that are also up to 40 percent smaller than with the current H.264 standard. With HEVC, Apple is enabling high-quality video streaming on networks where only HD streaming was previously possible, while hardware acceleration on the new iMac and MacBook Pro deliver incredibly fast and power-efficient HEVC encoding and editing.

Metal 2
Metal is the fastest, most efficient way to tap into GPU power on the Mac. Metal 2 features a refined API and improved performance that help developers accelerate their apps. It adds support for machine learning used in speech recognition, natural language processing and computer vision. The combination of Thunderbolt 3 and Metal 2 allows the most demanding users to access powerful external GPUs. An External Graphics Developer Kit gives developers all the hardware and software they need to optimize their apps.

Virtual Reality
Drawing on the performance of Metal 2 and the latest Mac hardware, macOS High Sierra adds support for VR content creation for the first time, enabling developers to create immersive gaming, 3D and VR content on the Mac. Leading VR companies are joining Apple to drive VR innovation on the Mac with features coming later this year - Valve is optimizing their SteamVR platform for macOS and enabling connection of the HTC Vive headset, while Unity and Epic are bringing their VR development tools to macOS. Also later this year, Final Cut Pro X will add support for professional 360-degree workflows with the ability to import, edit and export 360-degree video.

Refinements to the Apps Mac Users Love

Photos: Photos in macOS High Sierra adds a new always-on sidebar that presents albums and organization tools. A redesigned Edit view includes powerful new tools like Curves, for fine-tuning of color and contrast, and Selective Color, for making adjustments within a defined color range. Live Photos can now be edited with fun effects and Memories curates user photos and videos around several new topics. Photos now supports external editors, so Photoshop, Pixelmator and other apps can launch directly within Photos, with edits saved back to the Photos library. And for the first time, support for third-party project extensions gives users access to printing and publishing services, such as Animoto, ifolor, Shutterfly, WhiteWall and Wix, from right within the Photos app.
  • Safari can automatically use Reader to open articles in a clean, uncluttered format, while Autoplay Blocking stops media with audio from automatically playing in the browser.
  • Intelligent Tracking Prevention in Safari uses machine learning to identify and remove the tracking data that advertisers employ to follow users' web activity.
  • Mail search gets faster and easier with Top Hits, which puts the most relevant results at the top of a user's message list.
  • Siri on the Mac responds with a natural and more expressive voice, and when using Apple Music, it learns music preferences, creates custom playlists and answers music trivia.
  • Notes adds simple tables, where a user can type in cells, make edits and move rows and columns.
  • Spotlight provides flight status information, including departure and arrival times, delays, gates, terminals and even a map of the flight path.
  • iCloud File Sharing lets users share any file stored in iCloud Drive and collaborate with other people.
Pricing & Availability
The developer preview of macOS High Sierra is available to Apple Developer Program members at developer.apple.com starting today, and a public beta program will be available to Mac users in late June at beta.apple.com. macOS High Sierra will be available this fall as a free software update from the Mac App Store.
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9 Comments on macOS High Sierra Delivers Advanced Technologies for Storage, Video & Graphics

#1
bonehead123
WOW, all the above, plus the mega $$ machine updates too !

Now all you need is your banker and his gold card to accompany you to the apple store, and you will be able to tap into all that power and speed and efficiency and beautiful design work and productivity etc etc....

At least the OS is free, right :)

Anyone wanna lay odds that the new file system was "inspired" by ZFS, with all its data protection, instant copying, and hot-swapable storage pools intact ?
Posted on Reply
#2
Rahnak
Anyone knows if you can use the new filesystem with an older model (like my 2015 13' MBP) or if it's just for the new ones?
Posted on Reply
#3
Solidstate89
RahnakAnyone knows if you can use the new filesystem with an older model (like my 2015 13' MBP) or if it's just for the new ones?
It's a software update, so if your machine can run the latest OS, it should have his filesystem updated to match.

It's how they did it with iOS.
Posted on Reply
#4
bonehead123
RahnakAnyone knows if you can use the new filesystem with an older model (like my 2015 13' MBP) or if it's just for the new ones?
Yea you can, it says so in the news release..... "Maintains compatability with hfs. files"
Posted on Reply
#5
Rahnak
Solidstate89It's a software update, so if your machine can run the latest OS, it should have his filesystem updated to match.

It's how they did it with iOS.
Can they update/replace the filesystem without a OS re-install?
Posted on Reply
#6
Solaris17
Super Dainty Moderator
RahnakAnyone knows if you can use the new filesystem with an older model (like my 2015 13' MBP) or if it's just for the new ones?
It upgrades it when you install, just remember to turn off file vault and decrypt. I didn't now my machine is toast.
Posted on Reply
#7
Solidstate89
RahnakCan they update/replace the filesystem without a OS re-install?
Again, they did it with iOS. I don't know what differences there might be with a regular computer vs a mobile device, but if they can do it with one, I don't see why they can't do it with the other.
Solaris17It upgrades it when you install, just remember to turn off file vault and decrypt. I didn't now my machine is toast.
Fuck. Off. You're telling me it didn't tell you to decrypt it before the filesystem swap? Holy hell, that's awful. Windows is smart enough to temporarily deactivate Bitlocker whenever a major OS update is done to prevent this kind of crap from happening.
Posted on Reply
#8
bonehead123
Burrrr,,,, it sure is cold in here......

Seems like hell has finally frozen over....

The day when windows became smarter than the MacOS...

Quick, Everyone mark this day on your calenders, before the evidence is erased
Posted on Reply
#9
Solaris17
Super Dainty Moderator
Solidstate89Again, they did it with iOS. I don't know what differences there might be with a regular computer vs a mobile device, but if they can do it with one, I don't see why they can't do it with the other.


Fuck. Off. You're telling me it didn't tell you to decrypt it before the filesystem swap? Holy hell, that's awful. Windows is smart enough to temporarily deactivate Bitlocker whenever a major OS update is done to prevent this kind of crap from happening.
The Migration Assistant is a bit quirky as well. It wouldnt finish copying my data over from my backup after I did a fresh format to High Sierra. I am going to let it finish installing then try to migrate from inside the OS.

EDIT:: It is beta though. Will follow up later.

This entire day has been a bit rough. Migration assistant wouldnt copy the data correctly. Doing it after the OS was installed worked but it runs dog slow.
Posted on Reply
Dec 9th, 2024 03:11 CST change timezone

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