On Monday, Apple released the latest macOS software update, Catalina. A whole lot of user-friendly improvements, new features and apps were brought forth. They have also added a lot of good features for blind and low vision users. The MacStories review on Catalina would help you understand all the mainstream changes. But, we would like to cover a few other topics. Here are a few things you have to keep in mind while upgrading to Catalina.
Compatibility
The following models of Mac are compatible for you to download and install Catalina.
- MacBook (Early 2015 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or newer)
- Mac mini (Late 2012 or newer)
- iMac (Late 2012 or newer)
- iMac Pro (2017)
- Mac Pro (Late 2013, plus mid-2010 and mid-2012 models with recommended Metal-capable GPU)
Expense
32- bit compatibility is no longer available. That means, all the 32-bit apps which you were using would now not be compatible with the new OS. You might need to shell out more money to use Office 2019 and CS6. Microsoft provides office as a one-off purchase, but, Adobe doesn’t provide one-off purchase of its software. Their subscription offers might be a bit on the heavier side for people who use the software for personal use.
This means you might need to shell out more money or check out alternatives for the software you use currently. [1] On a side note, here is how you can check which all apps are 32-bit. Hit the Apple menu on your Mac and select About this Mac and click System Report. Scroll down to Legacy Software and you can check out all your 32-bit apps.
iTunes and Third-Party Apps
Apple has redesigned features like music, podcasts, movies, and books into individual apps instead of a singular iTunes app. Security is tighter in Catalina and therefore, you might want to consider checking with the developer before upgrading your third-party apps to see if they are compatible with the new macOS or not. You will now receive more notifications about permission requests and data accessing for apps. You might want to hold off upgrading to Catalina till security patches resolve compatibility issues.
Reminders
Before you update your macOS to Catalina, make sure to back up your Mac. You can also think about partitioning your Mac so that you can install Catalina in tandem with your current macOS. If you’ve already downloaded Catalina on your main hard drive, you can downgrade back to your previous macOS. If you need any help with these, feel free to get in touch with us and we will walk you through the process. Or if you want us to write a blog about how to do this, we would be happy to oblige.
How to install macOS Catalina
If you have decided to install the macOS 10.15 Catalina, hit the Apple menu on your mac and choose System Preferences. Click the Software Update preference pane to check for updates. If updates are available, click on the Update now button and install it. You can also click on ‘More info’ to see the details about each update and you can select specific updates to install.
We recommend getting accustomed to the operating system and then upgrading it. There is no harm in waiting for a couple of months since they would roll out the security patches for the issues people might be facing now. If you are facing any help regarding this, feel free to get in touch with us. We would be happy to help you out.
