The Mac section of the WWDC24 keynote was about 15 minutes, and in the first part of those 15 minutes, Apple showed iPhone Mirroring, a feature that was enthusiastically received by the audience watching the keynote at Apple Park. I grinned along and let out an “Oh yeah” in approval.
iPhone Mirroring is a feature I’ve wanted for a long time. I don’t know how many times I’ve settled into my favorite chair with my MacBook in my living room, a refreshing beverage in hand, and a “chill” music playlist playing in the room. Then I did something where I needed my iPhone, and I realized that left it in my bedroom. Oh, getting up and walking the 30 feet to get it would take 10 seconds, but it seems like such an arduous task when I’m all comfy.
Yeah, I know, you’re thinking, “Just get up, you lazy sonuvab****!” But I think the situation I just described can be representative of other similar situations that orbit around one specific idea: that the Mac and iPhone are two different platforms, and any efforts by Apple to bring them closer together make it more convenient for users and help with productivity. Apple addresses this mostly through iCloud, but there are times when I would like to access my iPhone through my Mac.
Like when I want to transfer files between the two; I can use AirDrop, but with iPhone Mirroring I can now drag and drop files more efficiently. In another example, I can use a video streaming app on the iPhone through iPhone Mirroring and watch that video on a larger display. (If an app supports AirPlay, it will be able to play in iPhone Mirroring.) Or when I know I’m going to be focused on my Mac for a while, I can keep my iPhone in my pocket (or more likely,in my bedroom) and use iPhone Mirroring when a notification comes in.
On the surface, iPhone Mirroring seems like a glitzy feature that might never be used. It looks a little crazy—not just your iPhone on your Mac display, but the fact that you can use a small iPhone window on your Mac. Apple has a large user base (that includes me) who rely on their iPhones and Macs equally as tools to get work done. And who knows, maybe one day we’ll even be able to control our Mac from our iPads.
So, while Apple Intelligence (which took up a full 40 minutes of the keynote) will be more impactful on our lives, iPhone Mirroring is going to be one of those delightful features that I can’t wait to use.
Learn more about the next Mac operating system in our macOS Sequoia superguide and catch up on all the latest from WWDC24.
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor, Macworld
Roman is a Macworld Senior Editor with over 30 years of experience covering the tech industry, focusing on the Mac and other products in the Apple ecosystem. He is also the host of the Macworld Podcast. His career started at MacUser, where he received Apple certification as a repair technician (when Apple did that kind of thing). He's also worked for MacAddict, MacLife, and TechTV.