macOS 27 Golden Gate review: addresses many Tahoe-era Liquid Glass issues and has useful new AI features, but no Intel support and uses a lot of storage space

macOS window design and AI search capabilities are now more refined and integrated for Mac users.

macOS 27 Golden Gate has been released, addressing design issues present in the previous macOS 26 Tahoe version. The update reverts problematic interface changes like floating glass sidebars and refines window designs, making toolbars and buttons more legible. Golden Gate also integrates Siri with Spotlight, introducing Siri AI with LLM-derived features that can search on-device data like emails and calendar entries, though some third-party app integration is still a work in progress. A significant enhancement is the upgrade to Sidecar, which now supports touchscreen input on iPads when used as external Mac displays, allowing for direct interaction with macOS windows. However, this version drops support for Intel processors and requires substantial storage space for its updates.

The overhaul of macOS's visual elements in Golden Gate signals Apple's acknowledgment of user feedback regarding the "liquid glass" aesthetic introduced in Tahoe. By rolling back controversial design choices and offering more customization for transparency effects, Apple is attempting to balance innovation with user preference and system usability. The merging of Siri and Spotlight, powered by new AI capabilities, suggests a broader strategy to embed generative AI directly into core operating system functions, making the Mac a more intelligent and proactive computing device.

The enhanced Sidecar functionality, enabling touchscreen interaction on iPads when used as secondary displays, points toward Apple's continued exploration of device synergy and hybrid computing models. This move could foreshadow a future where the lines between iPad and Mac interfaces blur further, especially for users who leverage multiple Apple devices. Developers will need to adapt their applications to fully support these new interaction paradigms, potentially leading to more dynamic and fluid cross-device workflows.