At WWDC 2024, Apple showcased a new feature that allows Mac users to control their iPhones. The feature is called iPhone Mirroring, and it functions similarly to what Android smartphone manufacturers already offer with Windows devices.
At WWDC 2024, it’s not just Apple Intelligence that will be the star. Each new OS version, like iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS, brings various new features and customization options. The latest OS version will be unveiled next summer—usually some time before the launch of the newest iPhone.
The iPhone Mirroring feature is available on iOS 18 Beta 2 and macOS Sequoia Beta 2. However, these betas are only accessible to developers. Reportedly the new public version will be available next month.
Quite a lot of functions, iPhone screen remains locked
So what are the capabilities of iPhone Mirroring? As the name suggests, you can display what is on the iPhone screen directly to the Mac screen. This feature is an extension of Continuity, which enables seamless connection between Apple devices. It allows using the iPhone as a webcam, performing direct copy-paste, and facilitating real-time communication without cables.
However, different from screen cast which only displays the iPhone screen to the Mac, iPhone Mirroring allows macOS Sequioa users to interact directly with applications on the iPhone, using the touchpad and keyboard. During the demo at WWDC yesterday, it was said that you could even access the application and then carry out the purchasing process. Where later verification will use Touch ID from the Mac.
Apart from accessing applications, notifications that come to the iPhone will also be automatically synchronized to the Mac. All of these processes take place in real-time without a difficult pairing process. The iPhone screen will also remain locked and in standby status, meaning you don’t have to unlock the screen or keep the screen on while iPhone Mirroring is taking place.
Other functions such as dragging and dropping certain files between iPhone and Mac can also be utilized through iPhone Mirroring. In its testing, 9to5Mac stated that iPhone Mirroring can even play videos from an iPhone via a Mac, with high quality and clear sound that can come out of the Mac’s speakers.
How to Access iPhone Mirroring is Very Easy
As mentioned previously, iPhone Mirroring is only available on iOS 18 Beta, and of course must be connected to a Mac device that already supports or is running macOS Sequoia. Other requirements: both devices must be running the same Apple account, and close to each other with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi active.
To access it, simply search for the iPhone Mirroring application in the Mac device application list, then run the initial setup which requires a one-time passcode before the mirroring process begins. After that, the two devices immediately connect, and the iPhone cannot be used in AirPlay mode with other devices.
What about the hardware requirements? While Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro and a Mac with an Apple M1 processor or above, that’s not the case with iPhone Mirroring. It only says that you need a Mac device that already has the Apple T2 security chip, aka it was available even on Mac devices a few years ago that still used Intel processors, before switching to a chipset of your own design.
The Indonesian version of this article can be read in Gizmologi.ID
