AppleInsider Staff
When Apple's macOS Big Sur 11.3 update launches it will include a new screensaver that pays homage to the first Mac.
While Apple regularly refreshes, updates and tweaks its system UI with each major macOS release, the company rarely releases new screensavers for its desktop operating system. The last addition, a specular 3D waveform visualization called Drift, came with macOS Catalina in 2019.
To commemorate the coming launch of its latest M1-powered Mac, the newly announced 24-inch iMac, Apple created an all new design that draws inspiration from Mac's past.
Quietly included in the macOS Big Sur 11.3 Release Candidate is "Hello," a screensaver that dynamically draws and displays "hello" in cursive text. The text is a nod to the now classic "hello" displayed on Apple's first Mac during its unveiling — and subsequent ad blitz — in 1984.
In macOS Big Sur, the "Hello" animation is similar to one presented during Tuesday's "Spring Loaded" event, at which Apple unveiled the redesigned 24-inch iMac. Swooping text is drawn onscreen as a virtual camera pans and zooms from various angles before settling on a full-screen view of the greeting.
Display options include "Soft Tones," "Spectrum" and "Minimal," which change background colors and text models. By default the screensaver is set to cycle through multiple languages, though a separate option allows users to fix the greeting to their native language.
The screensaver was spotted by 9to5Mac.
Apple is expected to launch macOS Big Sur 11.3 in the near future, potentially alongside iOS 14.5 next week.
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5 Comments
It doesn't show on Intel Macs, M1 only. But (credit to 9 to 5 Mac) you can copy it out of the /System/Library/Screen Savers folder to your desktop, rename it and double click it to get it on any Mac.
The whole iMac presentation felt like a tribute to the original set of iMacs (not just the first one), especially the color options that came out before the iMac went flat screen. Also being a very mainstream computer that is embracing USB 4 like the original iMac boldly went with USB, the perfection of "hiding the computer" which goes all the way back to Jobs' vision for the Mac, and while the iMac has fans they are below the threshold of most human hearing ... it's like the design team has really spent time thinking about what Steve would like, and I think he would be very happy indeed with this lineup.
As Chasm mentioned, the iMac range comes in rainbow colors, albeit pastel versions. Surely a homage to the original Apple logo in the late 70s.
I am on beta 11.4 on my M1 and love the new cartoon versions of Big Sur for the desktop. However, I've yet to find the Hello screensaver mentioned. Was this just a short lived easter egg?
If Apple wanted an homage, I'm disappointed they didn't make a video starting with the original multi-color iMacs then morphing them into the new iMacs all to the original Rolling Stones'"She is a Rainbow" sound track.