Photo: Apple
Apple could release macOS Sequoia, the next version of the Mac operating system, alongside iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 in September.
The company typically releases a major new iOS and iPadOS update in September. A new macOS version usually follows in October or November.
macOS Sequoia and iOS 18 are almost ready for release
Unlike major iOS releases, Apple has no set timeframe for rolling out new macOS versions. However, they typically release a few weeks after a new iOS update. This delay prevents many cross-platform features from being available at launch.
In 2023, the company released iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and watchOS 10 on September 18. macOS Sonoma dropped a week later, on September 23.
This year, though, MacRumors reports Apple will release macOS Sequoia alongside iOS 18 in mid-September. A simultaneous release will ensure that all cross-platform features are available from day one of a new iOS release. The notable new addition in this regard on iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia is iPhone Mirroring. As the name suggests, it will mirror your iPhone’s display and notifications to your Mac with full control.
Since its June announcement at WWDC24, Apple has released seven developer betas of macOS Sequoia, suggesting that the OS is almost ready for public release.
No Apple Intelligence at launch
Rumors suggest Apple could hold its yearly iPhone launch event on September 10. If that’s the case, iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia should roll out just over a week after that, on September 18.
Irrespective of when iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia launch, their initial builds won’t ship with Apple Intelligence. Instead, Apple’s AI-powered suite of features will arrive with iOS 18.1 and macOS 15.1 in October. It will also initially only be available to iPhone and Mac users in the US.