14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is blending iOS with OS X before our eyes, despite claiming it has no intentions of creating a hybrid OS that combines key features from both environments. One notable new addition is the ability to use your Mac as a phone.
Phone
Thanks to unprecedented integration with iOS, your iCloud-enabled Mac will display notifications for incoming calls with the ability to Accept or Decline that call right on your computer. For instance, if your iPhone rings in a faraway corner of your house, you can leave it there and just take the call on your Mac.
“Now you can make and receive iPhone calls right on your Mac. When your iPhone rings, you’ll get a notification on your Mac showing you the caller’s name, number, and profile picture. Click the notification to answer, and your Mac becomes a speakerphone. You can also decline the call or respond with a quick iMessage,” according to the Mac maker.
There’s also an interface that lets you place calls, so you can ring people up without even touching your smartphone.
“Making a phone call from Mac is just as easy. Just click a phone number you see in Contacts, Calendar, Messages, or Safari. Dial in to a conference call from a Calendar event, and your Mac automatically enters the passcode for you,” Apple explains.
“And if your iPhone rings while it’s charging in the bedroom, you can answer the call on your Mac in the living room ‐ they just have to be on the same Wi‑Fi network. Because it works with your existing iPhone number, there’s nothing to set up. Just point, click, and say hello,” the company adds.
Apple is slowly transitioning many key mobile features over to the Mac, essentially creating a unified experience without changing the overall look and feel of the OS.
With OS X Yosemite and an iPhone running iOS 8, you can send and receive SMS and MMS text messages right from your Mac. So when friends text you – regardless of what phone they have – you can respond from whichever device is closest. All the messages that appear on your iPhone now appear on your Mac, too. You can also initiate a text message conversation on your Mac by clicking a phone number in Safari, Contacts, or Calendar.
SMS & MMS
In addition to the Phone feature, OS X Yosemite adds the ability to send and receive SMS and MMS right on your Mac. The features that define the smartphone are now available in a native desktop form for the first time ever. Apple explains:
To learn more about Yosemite, visit the related links below.