macOS 27 Golden Gate Adds HDR, Icon Redesigns and iPhone Mirroring Gains Beyond Siri AI

According to the review, macOS 27 changes almost all built-in app icons. Siri, Preview and Chess receive complete redesigns, while Finder, Photos and Reminders get noticeable revamps, with a trend toward emphasizing the Liquid Glass design language. Few app icons were left unchanged, though many updates are subtle. The review includes slider comparisons showing how each icon looked in macOS Tahoe and how it looks in macOS Golden Gate. 9to5Mac said it likes some changes, such as the Photos app, but is not fully sold on others, including Finder.

The review described widespread HDR support as one of the coolest additions. Icons, toolbars and other parts of the Liquid Glass design language gain support for additional dynamic range that users of HDR-capable displays will immediately notice. To identify which elements have additional dynamic range, users can use macOS's built-in Digital Color Meter utility to see areas that clip shadows or highlights while viewing native SDR values. Studio Display XDR users have no doubt seen the differences, but third-party displays that support HDR can also benefit.

On Asus's ProArt QD-OLED 32-inch 4K display, the review said HDR effects throughout the OS stood out. Unlike Apple's first-party displays with Extended Dynamic Range support, third-party display users need to go to Settings, then Displays, and enable the High Dynamic Range toggle. The review also said HDR elements pop on the Dell UltraSharp U3226Q QD-OLED display, including the blinking cursor within the redesigned Spotlight/Siri AI interface.

macOS Golden Gate also includes design updates meant to address complaints users raised about macOS Tahoe. The review said one of its biggest complaints was mismatched corner radii between two windows. Other fixes include floating side bars returning to edge-to-edge side bars, toolbars revamped with an obvious line of demarcation, and an improved Liquid Glass effect with a new slider that gives users more choice over the amount of transparency versus tint throughout the OS.

Another major complaint from users about macOS Tahoe was unnecessary clutter in menus. In macOS Tahoe, nearly every menu option got its own corresponding glyph, which made menus look messy, according to the review. If every menu item has an icon, eventually there will be no sensible icon options left, while the effectiveness of existing glyphs is reduced. The review said it is glad Apple fixed this issue.

iPhone Mirroring on macOS 27 received three improvements that make the feature better on Golden Gate. Users can now access Control Center from a mirrored iPhone. They can resize the iPhone Mirroring interface to match more closely the iPad mini aspect ratio. They can also play back DRM-protected content from an iPhone on a Mac without a blackout. The review said iPhone Mirroring has become much more useful in macOS 27.

In its take, 9to5Mac said Siri AI takes up most of the headlines, but macOS Golden Gate is not just about Siri. The review picked a few of its favorite new additions and said there are many more to explore.

Editor's Summary

macOS 27 Golden Gate, according to a 9to5Mac review, extends beyond Siri AI with redesigned app icons, OS-wide HDR support, layout fixes, cleaner menus and expanded iPhone Mirroring. The review says these changes address user complaints about macOS Tahoe and make the Mac update more than a Siri release.