Apple announced macOS Big Sur with a redesigned interface and new features, including widgets, Control Center, and more. The update also brings some important changes that weren’t mentioned on stage at WWDC 2020, such as a system capable of installing software updates faster in the background.
Users are currently unable to use the Mac during the update installation process, which can take up to an hour depending on the update. Both the preparation and installation process are done on boot, so the system remains inaccessible until the update is complete.
According to a note from Apple’s website, macOS Big Sur makes the software update process faster by running part of the process in the background.
Apple hasn’t detailed how the updates are installed, but we assume the process is now more similar to iOS, where the system prepares the update and the necessary files before rebooting. As a result, users will have to wait less time during the boot process to get everything up and running.
Apple also mentions that macOS Big Sur has a new technology that protects the system from tampering, which also helps to install updates more quickly.
macOS Big Sur is currently available as a beta developer, while the first public beta will be released later this month. The update is expected to be available to everyone this fall.
