Apple got into a macOS trap and annual versions. He has managed to focus on the details

How to improve a product in a remarkable product year after year? Moreover, how to do it when that product has more than two decades with us and is already super mature? That is the challenge that Apple faces every year with macOS, the operating system that governs its Mac since OS X made its appearance in 2001.

In this (almost) fourth century, Macos has changed, without a doubt, but The surprising thing is that he has not done so. Who took a Mac at that time would not feel too strange with another of today. It would see changes and numerous modern functions, without a doubt, but in essence the interface has been preserved for a simple reason: it works.

To adapt to the new times, Apple self -imposed a rule: there would be a new version of macOS – and, later, of the rest of the operating systems – every year. It was something initially reasonable, but that rhythm has ended up making perhaps not a conviction, but something that comes to play against him.

Thus, while in the first years it was logical to expect great changes in functions and benefits, things have been very different in the last editions. There was not so much to scratch, and we have not really striking surprises.

Instead, Apple has been focusing on some specific areas of the operating system to try to give significant jumps in benefits. Let’s see what happened in the last three versions of macOS:

1. MacOS 14 Sonoma (2023): the main novelties They were the widgets on the desktop, the screen funds in slow camera and new functions during videoconferences, for example. Nothing really spectacular.
2. MacOS 15 Sequoia (2024): here They debuted The new iPhone mirroring system, a new password app and also the options to better manage windows on the desktop.
3. Macos 26 Tahoe (2025): In addition to the redesign with Liquid Glassin the latest version the focus was in the improvements in the mirroring of the iPhone and of course the changes in spotlight and shortcuts to enhance them more than ever.

It is not that none of those changes especially call attention. In fact they can become disappointing for the most demanding users. “Is this really the only thing that changes after a whole year?” They will say. It is a reasonable and logical question, but here there are several factors that explain that apparent lack of ambition.

The first, that of the maturity of the operating system. With macOS we are facing a veteran and very solid system in which practically everything works as one would expect. Apple has been polishing it during all this time, and that has allowed the mechanics to be strengthened while small improvements were added here and there.

The main features of Macos 26 Tahoe do not seem much after a year of work. It is probably the best that could happen to users of the operating system.

This is how Macos has adapted to the new times silently, with internal changes, support of new standards and protocols and of course support of the devices that have been part of the company’s ecosystem. We have a good example here in continuity, the system that “connects” the iPhone with the MAC and that debuted, ” More than a decade ago.

That maturity is also closely related to the second of those factors we referred to by talking about Apple’s apparent lack of ambition. The famous “If you work, don’t touch it” It also becomes more true than ever, and it is not necessary to reinvent wheels when (in most cases) everything works as it should.

But there is also an important third factor. It is easy to make changes when you have fewer users and your operating system, platform or application has just taken your first steps. But the thing changes when Apple you have more than 1,000 million users who use your devices. A change, however small, affects the lives of all these people, and can mean millions and millions of conflicts. There is therefore that having extreme care when making these changes, and in no way can they be radical or in form – that is why Liquid Glass is not “so different” – or in function – imaginated that suddenly the keyboard shortcuts or the way of using Finder will change.

Apple knows better than anyone that situation, and given the challenge of presenting a new operating system every year, its solution has probably been reasonable. What they try is not to surprise us with radical changes, but Provide small practical improvements They try to make the lives of the most comfortable users. That is why we have the aforementioned continuity (continuity), and that is why the current focus on a supervitaminated spotlight that can end up being useful for many users.

Is that disappointing? Maybe. Is Apple’s best option for the obligation to renew its operating systems every year? As boring or hard to seem, no doubt.

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