macOS 15.4 Review: Features, Bugs, and Performance

macOS 15.4 Review: Features, Bugs, and Performance

Note: As of October 26, 2023, macOS Sonoma (version 14) is the latest release. macOS 15.4 is a hypothetical future release. This article is written as a review of that imagined future version, drawing on common trends in macOS updates and likely future developments. The features, bugs, and performance described are speculative, but grounded in realistic possibilities.

Introduction:

Apple’s macOS 15.4, codenamed “Sequoia” (hypothetically), arrives as a mid-cycle update promising refinement and polish to the broader macOS 15 experience. While not introducing groundbreaking new features, this iteration focuses on enhancing existing functionalities, improving system stability, and addressing user-reported issues. This review dives deep into the changes in macOS 15.4, analyzing its new features, highlighting any persistent bugs, and evaluating its overall performance.

Key Features (Speculative):

• Enhanced Focus Modes: Building upon the Focus feature introduced in previous macOS versions, 15.4 brings granular control. Users can now:

  • App-Specific Notifications: Configure which notifications from a specific app are allowed during a Focus mode, rather than just the app itself. (e.g., allow only direct messages from Slack during “Work” Focus, but suppress channel notifications).
  • Focus-Linked Automation: Trigger Shortcuts and Automator workflows based on Focus mode activation and deactivation. (e.g., automatically dim the screen and launch a specific playlist when “Reading” Focus is enabled).
  • Location-Based Focus Triggers (Refined): Improves the reliability and accuracy of triggering Focus modes based on arriving or leaving specific locations. Added support for smaller geofences.
  • Shared Focus Status with More Apps: Expanded the API for Focus status sharing, allowing more third-party apps to respect and respond to the user’s current Focus mode (e.g., video conferencing apps automatically muting notifications if a “Meeting” Focus is active).

• Stage Manager Improvements: Stage Manager, the window management tool, receives several usability tweaks:

  • Persistent Stage Sets: Users can now save specific arrangements of windows as “Stage Sets” and quickly switch between them.
  • Improved External Display Handling: Stage Manager now works more seamlessly with multiple external displays, allowing for independent Stage Sets on each monitor.
  • Customizable Stage Sizes: Added the option to resize the “stages” (the areas where recent apps are displayed) to better accommodate different workflows and screen sizes.
  • Drag-and-Drop Refinements: Improved the drag-and-drop behavior when moving windows between stages and the main desktop.

• Continuity Camera Enhancements:

  • Desk View Refinements: The Desk View feature, which uses the iPhone’s ultra-wide camera to show a top-down view of the user’s desk, receives improvements to image quality and distortion correction.
  • Automatic Camera Switching: macOS can now intelligently switch between multiple connected iPhones (e.g., switching to an iPhone with a better camera angle or battery level).
  • Third-Party App Support: Expanded API support allows more third-party video conferencing and recording apps to utilize Continuity Camera features.
  • Continuity Camera as a System-Wide Webcam: Options to select Continuity Camera as the default webcam even when not in a specific supported app.

• System Settings Overhaul (Incremental): While a complete redesign isn’t present, 15.4 continues the incremental improvements to System Settings:

  • Improved Search: The search function within System Settings is faster and more accurate, providing better results for specific settings.
  • Clearer Organization: Some settings categories have been reorganized for better clarity and discoverability.
  • More Contextual Help: Added more tooltips and contextual help information within System Settings to guide users.

• Safari Updates:

  • Enhanced Privacy Protections: Further improvements to Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) and other privacy-focused features.
  • Improved Tab Group Management: More options for organizing and sharing Tab Groups.
  • Web Extensions API Updates: Updates to the Web Extensions API to improve compatibility and performance with extensions.
  • Passkey Enhancements: Improved support for Passkeys, including easier setup and management.

• Accessibility Improvements:

  • Live Captions Enhancements: Live Captions, which provides real-time transcription of audio, receives improvements to accuracy and support for more languages.
  • Voice Control Refinements: Voice Control, which allows users to control their Mac with their voice, becomes more responsive and reliable.
  • Improved Screen Reader Support: VoiceOver, the built-in screen reader, receives updates to improve navigation and compatibility with web content and applications.

• Universal Control Enhancements:

  • Improved Reliability and Responsiveness: Addressed connectivity issues and lag reported by some users.
  • Expanded File Transfer Capabilities: Added support for transferring larger files and more file types between devices.
  • Keyboard and Mouse Sharing Refinements: Improved the smoothness and accuracy of keyboard and mouse input when controlling other devices.

Performance:

macOS 15.4 generally exhibits excellent performance. Boot times are slightly improved compared to 15.3, and application launch speeds remain snappy. The refinements to Stage Manager and Focus modes contribute to a smoother and more efficient workflow. Resource utilization appears well-optimized, with no noticeable increase in CPU or memory usage compared to the previous version.

• Benchmark Results (Hypothetical):

  • Geekbench 6 (Single-Core): Slightly improved (2-3%) compared to 15.3.
  • Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core): Marginal improvement (1-2%) compared to 15.3.
  • Cinebench R23: Virtually identical to 15.3.
  • Browser Benchmarks (Speedometer, JetStream): Minor improvements in Safari performance.

• Battery Life: Battery life on supported MacBooks remains largely unchanged compared to 15.3. The enhanced Focus mode features, when used effectively, may even contribute to slightly improved battery life by reducing unnecessary notifications and background activity.

Bugs (Speculative):

While macOS 15.4 is generally stable, some minor bugs persist:

• Occasional Stage Manager Glitches: While improved, Stage Manager still occasionally exhibits minor visual glitches or unexpected behavior when switching between Stage Sets or using multiple external displays. This is most common with older, unsupported external monitors.
• Continuity Camera Connectivity Issues: Some users report intermittent connectivity issues with Continuity Camera, requiring them to reconnect their iPhone. This seems to be more prevalent with older iPhone models.
• Focus Mode Notification Bugs: Despite the improvements, a small number of users report instances where notifications are still delivered during a Focus mode, even when they should be suppressed. This appears to be related to specific third-party apps.
• Universal Control Lag with Specific Devices: While improved, some users still experience occasional lag or input delays when using Universal Control with certain iPad models or older Macs.
• Safari Extension Compatibility: While rare, a small number of older Safari extensions may exhibit compatibility issues with the updated Web Extensions API.

Conclusion:

macOS 15.4 is a solid, if unspectacular, update. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it refines and polishes many existing features, making the overall macOS experience smoother and more efficient. The improvements to Focus modes, Stage Manager, and Continuity Camera are welcome additions, and the performance remains excellent. While some minor bugs persist, they are generally not disruptive and are likely to be addressed in future updates.

Recommendation:

Users currently running macOS 15.x should definitely upgrade to 15.4. The improvements in stability, performance, and usability make it a worthwhile update. Users on older macOS versions should weigh the new features and improvements against their current needs and system compatibility before upgrading. Overall, macOS 15.4 is a recommended update that further solidifies macOS’s position as a mature and powerful operating system.