macOS 10.15 vs macOS 10.14 - Which is Better

Audrey Goodwin

2024-04-12 10:55:47 • Filed to: macOS 10.15 • Proven solutions

Goodbye iTunes, Catalina is here. Apple finally revealed the new Mac Operating System, named Catalina, and one of the big differences is that iTunes is no more. Some of you might have liked the app, some hated, and whatever the case, it is gone. With a new operating system, you certainly expect more updates and upgrades than just removal of iTunes, right? Of course, and today, we will talk about differences between 10.15 vs 10.14 Mac operating systems.

Comparison about macOS 10.15 vs macOS 10.14

Catalina and Mojave (the 10.14 Mac operating system) are different in many ways. And we will explore all of them separately.

1. Interface differences

When Mojave was released, Apple brought a big change to the interface of the Mac. The main upgrade was the ability to choose a second Dark Mode version. In Mojave, you could turn the color down in every element of the interface. If you worked in a darker environment, the Dark mode came in handy. Catalina brings Dark Mode to a new level. At the moment, in Mojave, you can choose between dark or light mode. With Catalina, Dark Mode will come on automatically as the day goes on. When the night comes, your Mac will automatically turn to Dark Mode.

Another upgrade is with Desktop Stacks. It was a feature introduced in Mojave, giving you the ability to clear up your cluttered desktop. You could save all of the screenshots into a stack, or a folder. In Catalina, there are other desktop and interface enhancing features that will change the way you operate and use your Mac. The big addition is the second screen. What is that? Apple now gives you the option to use your iPad as a second screen for your Mac. The feature vastly extends your workplace, and you can also take advantage of the touch screen on the iPad and use it while operating on your Mac. The feature comes in handy when you need to mark up images in PDF or fill forms in PDF.

2. Apps

One of the big downsides up until now with apps for the Mac is that they were different than those in the iOS eco system. Developers had to create two different apps, one for the iOS, and one for the macOS. With Catalina, this is in the past.

Catalina brings a simpler way for developers to port the apps to the Mac. The project is called Catalyst, and gives iOS developers an ability to start porting their apps to the new Mac operating system. This project had a trial version in Mojave, known as Marzipan. But the biggest change in terms of apps is the removal of one the most iconic Apple apps, iTunes. Even Apple acknowledged that the application was becoming too bloated, and it was time to refresh it. At the WWDC, Apple said they thought about adding new things to the iTunes, and that was when they figured out it was too much.

Do not worry, you will not lose any media files, iTunes store purchases, or backups. The app will be split into three different apps, called Music, TV, and Podcasts. They will do the job that iTunes does. Apple says that the idea is for the dedicated apps to feel and work more convenient, focusing on different type of media.

3. System

Another of the macOS 10.15 differences is the system preferences, or system compatibility if you like. Catalina does not allow 32-bit support for apps any more. When Apple released Mojave a year ago, the company said it was the last 32-bit supported operating system. That gave developers time to update their software.

The updated architecture of Catalina will definitely give you better performances, and give you access to more than just 4GB of RAM.

While all that sounds great, there is one downside. You will have to manually upgrade apps to 64-bit architecture one by one.

4. Security

Apple is always strict about security. And that is the next category we look at our macOS 10.15 vs macOS 10.14 comparison. Catalina brings security up a notch. And it is all thanks to Activation Lock, a feature that enables you to own all the rights for erasing and reactivating your Mac.

For the first time, your operating system runs on a dedicated real-only volume system. Therefore, no data will be lost in the shuffle. For the first time, you have full control over your Mac. Whenever an app tries to access your data, you will be prompted and get a notification. And you will have to give access to apps. For example, when an app is trying to record the screen, it will need permission from you.

5. Find My

Up until now, this feature was known as Find My Phone. Well, not anymore. Now, you can also locate your stolen or lost Mac. And that applies even to offline and asleep Mac.

Find My service now tracks your Mac using Bluetooth beacons. Any Mac near your Mac will be able to detect your device via Bluetooth.

In Mojave, the only way to locate a lost or stolen Mac was through iCloud. But if the computer was disconnected, you could never find it. Now, even if your Mac is shut down or sleeping, you can find it.

6. Extra upgrades

Let's finish our macOS 10.15 review with some extra upgrades and nifty new features. For starters, the functionality of the Photos application is now better. The app gets an interface overhaul, and now organizes the pictures by separate views. This gives you a simpler and easier navigation.

Safari becomes more customizable, giving you personalization options using iCloud tabs or/and Siri suggestions.

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We mentioned previously that thanks to the iPad second screen, you can now work with PDF documents more efficiently. And all you need is one last thing, and that is a powerful PDF tool. Yes, Apple gives you Preview, the default PDF application. But for all its perks, Preview is fairly limited in what it can do.

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