macOS 15's WWDC glow-up set to include subtle changes for Siri and the Menu Bar

At home with 15-inch MacBook Air, on a mosaic balcony table and on a wooden floor.
(Image credit: Gerald Lynch / Future)

It looks like macOS 15 will get a glow-up for some of its apps, alongside a small change to Siri on the Menu Bar.

According to Apple Insider, the next major software update for Macs, codenamed ‘GreyParrot’, will feature some user interface improvements. For example, the macOS System Settings app will have its sections reorganized into a priority list, rather than copying the same structure from the iOS Settings app. Other options will be moved into other sections, such as Wallpaper and Screensavers, although the report doesn’t specify exactly where.

As well as an update to System Settings, Siri’s icon in the menu bar will go from being a colored one to monochromatic. This way, it will match the other icons found in this location, rather than sticking out like a sore thumb.

But that’s not all of what could be coming to macOS 15. Brace yourself — a redesigned Calculator app is allegedly coming too. The latest update for Macs is expected to be announced at Apple’s WWDC 2024 keynote on June 10. The company is also expected to announce iOS 18, the next major software update for supported iPhones, as well as iPadOS 18 and watchOS 11.

Small changes, with a mammoth name to come?

With iOS 18 reportedly being the headline announcement at WWDC due to the rumored AI features it will bring, such as improvements to Apple Music, we’re not expecting massive changes to macOS this year.

Apple’s macOS operating system has always had a unique name attached to every major update. When it was known as Mac OS X from 1999 to 2013, the naming convention saw each subsequent update named after big cats — Tiger, Leopard, and so on. From 2013 onwards, it switched to Californian landmarks, such as Yosemite and El Capitan.

The latest update, Sonoma, was released in September 2023, with its headline feature being Desktop Widgets. This moved the interactive app snippets from a sidebar to the Desktop. Apple has been known to trademark a bunch of names in advance of future potential releases, such as Mammoth and Diablo. macOS Diablo has a nice ring to it — especially if this upcoming update brings more improvements to gaming on a Mac.

Whatever the case, we’ll likely find out the full name for macOS 15 on June 10, where you can be sure that iMore will be covering everything announced that day.

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Daryl Baxter
Features Editor

Daryl is iMore's Features Editor, overseeing long-form and in-depth articles and op-eds. Daryl loves using his experience as both a journalist and Apple fan to tell stories about Apple's products and its community, from the apps we use every day to the products that have been long forgotten in the Cupertino archives.

Previously Software & Downloads Writer at TechRadar, and Deputy Editor at StealthOptional, he's also written a book, 'The Making of Tomb Raider', which tells the story of the beginnings of Lara Croft and the series' early development. His second book, '50 Years of Boss Fights', came out in June 2024, and has a monthly newsletter called 'Springboard'. He's also written for many other publications including WIRED, MacFormat, Bloody Disgusting, VGC, GamesRadar, Nintendo Life, VRV Blog, The Loop Magazine, SUPER JUMP, Gizmodo, Film Stories, TopTenReviews, Miketendo64, and Daily Star.

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