Apple releases macOS 12 Monterey with AirPlay on Mac, live text and bokeh for video chats

Apple has started distributing macOS 12 Monterey to most machines released after 2015. The OS update is free and should now be available to download globally on every machine that is eligible for it. Specifically, macOS Monterey is compatible with everything after and included the 2013 Mac Pro, the 2014 Mac mini, the 2015 iMac, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, along with the 12-inch MacBook that Apple launched in 2016. 

Unsurprisingly, Apple reserves some of Monterey's more exciting features for Macs running its chips, which the MacBook Pro 14 and MacBook Pro 16 have expanded from just the M1 to the M1 Pro and M1 Max. With Monterey, it is now possible to stream content from an iPhone or iPad directly to a Mac via AirPlay, a feature that has somehow been lacking on macOS until this point.

Additionally, you can now use your Mac as part of a multi-room speaker system, provided that those speakers are AirPlay 2.0 compatible, that is. Monterey also adds the ability to copy text from images using Live Text, which is already possible in iOS 15. Eventually, it will be possible to use an iPad as an external display without setting it up in advance. Unfortunately, this will not arrive until Apple releases an update to Monterey at some point.

Moreover, Apple Silicon-powered hardware can activate a portrait mode that softens background imagery during video chats, regardless of the app being used. Similarly, you can now watch TV shows and movies with someone via FaceTime with SharePlay. More details about macOS 12 Monterey can be found on Apple's website.

Purchase the Sony Xperia 1 III on Amazon