Wolverton: With Yosemite, Apple takes wise and measured approach to personal computers

The venerable personal computer has struggled to remain relevant as software and hardware makers adapt to the boom in mobile devices. Apple, though, seems to have found a winning formula.

In recent years, Apple has gradually and deliberately attempted to make its Mac computers work more like iPhones and iPads while still maintaining distinctive features. With the latest version, OS X Yosemite, released as a free update earlier this month, Apple takes the next step in this approach by making it much easier to switch seamlessly from its handheld devices to personal computers and back again.

Apple’s formula stands in contrast to Microsoft’s approach. With Windows 8, which debuted two years ago, Microsoft ditched the classic Start button, hid the desktop interface and forced all users — including those still using mice and keyboards — to use a new interface that was designed to be navigated with fingertips.

Consumers seem to have generally appreciated Apple’s conservative approach and rejected Microsoft’s more radical one. Windows-based PCs still far outsell Macs, but while Windows 8 PCs have struggled with sales, Apple sold a record number of Macs last quarter. In unveiling Windows 10 recently, Microsoft essentially admitted the failure of its approach, announcing that it would bring back the Start button and make much more of a distinction between keyboard- and touch screen-oriented devices.

Not having made that misstep, Apple was free to continue its deliberate approach to bridging OS X and iOS with OS X Yosemite. The two operating systems now look a lot alike, they share more features and, most importantly, they work together much more seamlessly.

The design of Yosemite takes many of its cues from iOS 7, the overhaul of iOS that Apple released last year. OS X now has the same flat but layered interface design seen in iOS. The change is subtle, but makes the operating system feel more up-to-date.

Yosemite also includes a bunch of new features that Apple has ported over from the iPhone and iPad. As on iOS, OS X now has an improved Spotlight search feature that will comb through everything from Wikipedia pages to movie listings. Like iPhones and iPads, Macs can now access iCloud Drive, Apple’s cloud storage service that, fortunately, now works much more like Dropbox or Google Drive. And, as on iOS devices, users can now see a “Today” view in the Mac notification center that they can customize with small programs called widgets to view sports scores or track the shipping of packages.

But the most noticeable and notable ways that Apple is bridging its handheld and desktop operating systems are in how it has designed their latest versions to work together with a collection of features it calls “Continuity.” Without having to connect a cable or tweak any settings, users can have their Macs tap into their iPhone’s built-in voice calling app to place and answer phone calls through their computer. Using an iPhone’s messaging program, users can send and respond to SMS messages from their Macs as well. And those needing to go online can turn on and connect to their phone’s Wi-Fi hotspot feature directly from their Macs.

None of these features are revolutionary, but they work well and can be very convenient. I love being able to type text messages on my computer rather than with the virtual keyboard on my phone. And it was great to be able to set up a hotspot without having to fiddle with settings on both devices.

Apple has also improved the ability of consumers to be able to move back and forth between Macs and iOS devices with something it calls “Handoff.” Users can look up a Web page on the Safari browser on their computer and the open it on their iPad. Or they can start typing an email or text message on their iPhone and be able to continue it on their Mac. Although this feature only works with Apple’s apps right now, the company is opening it to outside developers, so users may soon be able to take Word documents or Photoshop files back and forth between devices.

As with any operating system upgrade, you should read through the fine print before you install it. Some of the key features of Yosemite, including Handoff, won’t work on Macs that were released before 2012. The ability to hand off documents or make calls or send texts through your phone don’t work if you have an Android or Windows Phone device. And some existing apps won’t work with the new operating system. I found that I could no longer play “Civilization IV,” for example, and the GPG encryption plug-in hasn’t yet been updated for the new version of Mac Mail.

Generally, I liked Yosemite. It’s a fresh — but not radical — take on Apple’s computer operating system.

Contact Troy Wolverton at 408-840-4285 or twolverton@mercurynews.com. Follow him at www.mercurynews.com/troy-wolverton or Twitter.com/troywolv.