Parallels (parallels.com/about), the software for running Windows applications on a Mac, today launched Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac (parallels.com/desktop), which provides macOS Mojave–readiness. Upgrading to Parallels Desktop 14 offers significant storage savings, faster launch times, improved graphics and the latest versions of Parallels® Toolbox for Windows or Mac (parallels.com/toolbox). Through Parallels Desktop 14, customers now have access to more Windows features on Mac than ever before.
“Millions of Parallels Desktop customers highly value performance and efficiency,” said Jack Zubarev, Parallels president. “With Parallels Desktop 14, we’ve taken those to the next level by focusing on graphics and storage, allowing customers to save as much as 20 GB of disk space while enjoying the best-ever performance. Personal productivity enhancements include more Windows features available on Mac devices. Touch Bar support for Windows applications—such as OneNote or Quicken—enables customers to add their favourite applications to the Mac Touch Bar so their shortcuts are at their fingertips.”
Enhanced Storage Optimization
Typically, virtual machines are large, taking anywhere from 15–100 GBs of space or more. With two different storage mechanisms at work (Windows and Mac), newly engineered storage optimization that takes both Windows and Mac mechanisms into account can result in significant disk space savings. The new Free Up Disk Space dialogue that suggests storage-saving actions now better handles multiple virtual machines. Newly created snapshots occupy up to 15 per cent less disk space.
Keep Melting the Border between Windows and Mac
Parallels Desktop 14 now enables customers to use Microsoft Ink to edit Microsoft Office for Windows documents on a Mac, including pressure-sensitive support in applications such as PowerPoint, Microsoft Edge, CorelDRAW, Fresh Paint, Leonardo, openCanvas and Photoshop for Windows.
Preconfigured Touch Bar sets for the following applications have been added to Parallels Desktop 14: Microsoft Visio and OneNote, SketchUp, AutoCAD, Revit, Quicken, QuickBooks and Visual Studio. They join current Parallels Desktop Touch Bar sets for Windows applications, including: Office 2016 (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook), Windows Start Menu and desktop (Cortana, Task View and Task Bar pinned elements), File Explorer (File Open and Save As settings), and web browsers (Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera and Vivaldi).
The Parallels Desktop Touch Bar Wizard makes it easy for users to customize the Touch Bar for thousands of Windows applications, so their function key shortcuts are at their fingertips when using the applications. Additionally, with the use of Touch Bar XML Authoring, users can further personalize the Touch Bar with their own customized function key shortcuts for their favourite Windows applications.
macOS Mojave–Ready
Parallels Desktop 14 supports Dark Mode. Quick Look issued on Windows files now shows quick actions. Support for additional Mojave features, which are currently in development, will be tested, finalized and introduced around the forthcoming public release of Mojave.
The Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac installation image, which is notarized by Apple, will be seen by users when it is installed on Mojave.
Enhanced Graphic Support and 4K Shared Camera Support
Parallels Desktop 14 now features improved OpenGL support for enhanced graphics, with notable improvements in SketchUp 2017/2018, CTVox, DIALux 8 and OriginLab.
All view modes have been improved in terms of speed and memory usage, which is especially important when working on multiple high-resolution external displays, including those of 5K resolutions.
Unused virtual video memory is now effectively returned to Mac system memory. Auto mode for graphics allows Windows to use more than 2 GB of Mac system memory for video purposes while allowing Windows applications to use it when possible.
Additionally, users now get a better frame rate in video conferencing and can use shared camera technology with cameras that support up to 4K resolutions.
Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition
New Business Edition features include enhanced management, plus security and licensing portals. Additional improvements include:
· Smart card readers are now automatically available in both Mac and Windows for faster access (if enabled).
· Administrators can invite users via email and assign separate administrators for sublicenses for improved efficiency.
· Replace existing virtual machines in Deployment Mode to streamline productivity.
· Applications deployed in the Single Application mode start faster, along with a new modern-looking splash screen.
The Parallels “My Account” portal has been redesigned to be optimized for popular use cases.
The recommended retail price (RRP) of Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac is US$79.99 for an annual subscription or US$99.99 for a perpetual license. Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition and Business Edition are each available to new customers for US$99.99 per year. Parallels Desktop 12 and 13 perpetual license customers can upgrade to Parallels Desktop 14 for US$49.99, or upgrade to a Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition subscription for US$49.99 per year. Parallels Desktop subscriptions include a complimentary concurrent subscription to Parallels Toolbox for Mac or Windows (parallels.com/toolbox), as well as Parallels Access (parallels.com/access).
