How macOS Monterey Can Improve Your Business Productivity

Is your company considering upgrading its Apple devices with the latest Mac operating system? macOS12, commonly known as Monterey, is available as a free download for many Apple devices, which may tempt business leaders and IT admins to start obtaining it immediately. But unlike app or OS upgrades an individual might make, an enterprise-wide upgrade should involve some deliberate planning. An effective rollout will start with a plan that answers fundamental questions about how Monterey will be integrated into existing operations – questions such as:

• What hardware investments, and potential additional software investments, must my business make for a uniform rollout?
• Are there security considerations and new vulnerabilities that must be addressed?
• What value does Monterey add to our operations, and how does it help us accomplish our strategic goals?
• Will rolling out Monterey now conflict with any critical short-term goals? Is there an optimal time to roll out this update?
• Do new Monterey features require shifts to existing processes and workflows?
• What kind of training will my business provide for employees to get the most out of Monterey?
• How will we prepare our employees for this change from an organizational culture standpoint?

To develop such a plan, we must start by understanding what Monterey comprises to incorporate it into our daily operations effectively.

Monterey: New Features And Key Updates

Shortly after its preview at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2021, Universal Control was one of the most buzzed-about new features. This unique feature makes it easier to use multiple Mac devices by allowing Monterey users to easily toggle back and forth between them using a single keyboard, mouse, or trackpad.

For example, perhaps you spent some time reading through and taking notes on a work document at home on your iPad at night or on the weekend. When you bring it to work the following business day, you can toggle from your MacBook to your iPad by moving your cursor to the edge of your Mac screen and dragging it slightly inward. A representation of your iPad screen will be displayed, and you’ll be able to drag and drop your notes from iPad to Mac effortlessly.

With employees across industries using multiple devices these days, Monterey saves professionals time by doing away with having to email notes, documents, files, images, and video from device to device. But that’s not the only new application Monterey sports. The new OS also includes a new Focus feature that allows users to filter out unwanted notifications and alert other users if they are unavailable. Focus has clear productivity benefits and can be a real boon to busy professionals.

Monterey also includes key updates to existing popular programs, like FaceTime. Given the prevalence of videoconferencing, Apple has striven to improve the quality of its video calls. Using audio technologies like voice isolation and spatial audio, Apple has been able to sync where a sound is coming from with its approximate position on the screen. Further, it uses machine learning and other tools to refine audio quality and eliminate background noise. The new FaceTime also utilizes SharePlay to offer audio, video, and file sharing through the application. If, while discussing a project on FaceTime with a colleague, you need to reference specific details, you can easily share it, saving you time and helping you communicate more effectively.

Moreover, if you need to share streaming content with a room full of your colleagues in an impromptu fashion, you can now pull it up on your iPad and share it with a Mac using the improved AirPlay for Mac. Monterey makes collaboration simple with these enhancements, as well as with its refurbished version of Notes. You can now work with colleagues on projects using shared Notes, tag them with mentions, assess edits in a new Activity View, and more. The Shared with You feature also makes it easier to locate content in Messages that your colleagues have shared with you and view it in multiple applications.

Apple’s newest operating system also helps professionals reduce the time they spend on repetitive tasks. By incorporating a Shortcuts library filled with predefined commands, Monterey saves users considerable time, allowing them to perform mundane duties more rapidly. And for unique workflows, the Shortcuts Editor lets you establish new Shortcuts for specific tasks. You can even access the Shortcuts Editor hands-free with Siri! Truly, Monterey has a lot of potential to streamline tasks.

Monterey also puts efficiency front and center in the newest version of Safari. The Apple browser now allows you to aggregate, save, and store groups of Tabs in what are called Tab Groups. If you’re working on two distinct writing projects, you can use Tab Groups to save all of the relevant Tabs for each project in a separate group, pulling up each as needed. Tab Groups also sync across devices, allowing you to pick up where you left off as you move from iPad to Mac or vice versa.

Safari also includes new features that help secure the privacy of your browsing sessions. And using a new service available in the premium version of iCloud+, iCloud Private Relay, you can connect more securely to third-party websites. You can also encrypt all outgoing traffic coming from your devices – ideal new additions in these days of frequent ransomware attacks.

Finally, Monterey also improves accessibility for differently-abled users. To ensure that screen-reading tools can easily read websites, Monterey now gives everyone the ability to create alternative image descriptions using Markup. Further, Apple allows users to customize their mouse and trackpad usage to a greater extent than before and improves keyboard access. These options should help differently-abled professionals perform their work more efficiently and help your business service differently-abled customers and consumers more effectively.

Implementing Monterey To Add Value To Your Business

Despite its many benefits, Monterey is only available for newer devices. If you’ve been upgrading your hardware every couple of years, this shouldn’t be an issue. But if not, you may need to invest in new devices. Monterey is available for:

• iMac (2016 and later, and some late 2015 models)
• iMac Pro (2017 and later)
• MacBook (2016 and later)
• MacBook Air (2015 and later)
• MacBook Pro – (2015 and later)
• Mac Pro – (2014 and later, as well as some late 2013 models)
• Mac mini – (2015 and later, and some late 2014 models)

Even if your inventory is filled with these devices, it’s best to develop an implementation plan before hitting the “Download” button. If you’re looking for support in determining how best to deploy Monterey to add value to your company, ECW Network & IT Solutions can help. We can provide an expert and unbiased assessment of how you can best incorporate Monterey into your existing operations in a cost-effective manner that helps you drive revenue and growth.

Priding ourselves on providing best-in-class IT solutions to business problems, we’re a trusted partner to many businesses throughout Broward County and beyond. Alongside your team, our staff will leverage their expertise to craft and implement solutions that work for your unique business. We’re excited to help you use the most effective technologies on the market to grow your business. Contact us today, and let’s discuss Monterey, other operating system needs, or other IT challenges you face.

Thanks to our friends at Orbis Solutions in Las Vegas for their help with this research. Visit their website here – https://www.orbissolutionsinc.com/las-vegas-it-services/