Apple today released Mac OS X 10.6.7, the seventh maintenance update for Snow Leopard, via Software Update. The update offers a number of fixes implemented since the release of Mac OS X 10.6.6 in early January.
The 10.6.7 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Snow Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac, including fixes that:
- Improve the reliability of Back to My Mac
- Resolve an issue when transferring files to certain SMB servers
- Address various minor Mac App Store bugs
For detailed information on this update, please visit this website: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4472.
For information on the security content of this update, please visit: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222.
The public release is the same Build 10J869 that was seeded to developers one week ago.
Direct links for the various downloads on Apple’s support pages are still going live:
- Mac OS X v10.6.7 Update (475 MB)
- Mac OS X v10.6.7 Update Combo (1.12 GB)
- Mac OS X Server v10.6.7 Update (541.21 MB)
- Mac OS X Server v10.6.7 Update Combo (1.15 GB)
- Security Update 2011-001 (Snow Leopard – Client) (241.35 MB)
- Security Update 2011-001 (Snow Leopard – Server) (473.23 MB)
- Server Admin Tools 10.6.7 (241.32 MB)
It is unclear why Apple is offering separate Snow Leopard security updates, which require Mac OS X 10.6.6 but apparently do not perform the full upgrade to Mac OS X 10.6.7. Apple typically offers security updates for older operating systems alongside point updates for the current one, but these security updates are distinctly listed as being for Snow Leopard rather than Leopard.
Update: Apple appears to also be offering a special build for the new Early 2011 MacBook Pro, specifically addressing FaceTime performance issues, graphics stability, and external display compatibility.
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Apple today seeded a new version of Mac OS X 10.6.7, termed Build 10J869, to developers for testing. The update comes six days after the company pushed Build 10J868 to developers.
According to those familiar with the new build, Apple continues to list no known issues and asks developers to again focus their testing on Safari, Mac App Store, AirPort, Bonjour, SMB, and Graphics Drivers .
With the build increment increasing by only one since the previous build and very little change in file size, Apple may be nearing completion of work on the update and preparing for a public release in the relatively near future. This new build marks the eighth version of Mac OS X 10.6.7 to make its way into developers’ hands since seeding began in late January.
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Apple today seeded the golden master version of iOS 4.3 to developers, paving the way for a public release of the update on March 11th.
The update is available in versions for the iPad, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and third- and fourth-generation iPod touch, while the iPad 2 will of course also ship with iOS 4.3 installed. The build number is 8F190.
BGR last week claimed that iOS 4.3 had reached golden master status, correctly pinpointing the build number of today’s release.
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When Apple released FaceTime 1.0 into the Mac App Store earlier today with a $0.99 price tag, many users were up in arms over the charge for what had been a free application during its beta phase.
As we suspected and has now been confirmed by Macworld‘s Dan Moren, the charge is due to an accounting requirement that has affected similar updates in the past.
Apple told me that the FaceTime $1 charge for existing Mac users is regulatory related (remember the $2 802.11n patch circa 2007?).
Moren’s reference is to the software download that unlocked 802.11n capabilities that were included in certain Macs but not activated at the time of sale.
While it is not clear exactly what types of updates trigger such accounting requirements, Apple has in the past generally stated that adding significant functionality that had not been advertised as included at the time of purchase can require such minimal user payments. While Macs have long included iChat video capabilities similar in many respects to FaceTime, Apple and its accounting advisors clearly believe that a public release of FaceTime software for existing Macs represents a substantial new feature addition for which the company is required to either charge a small fee or restate its past earnings to retroactively delay recognition of a tiny slice of revenue from each past machine sale.
The new FaceTime application is included free of charge on the MacBook Pros released today, as it is an advertised feature on the new hardware, and the application will certainly continue to be free on future versions of Mac hardware.
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As noted by Macerkopf.de [Google translation], free access to the new iPad news publication The Daily has been extended beyond the original two-week trial period, pushing the free access window out to February 28th. The change comes as we continue to await the public release of iOS 4.3, which will bring support for the in-app recurring subscriptions to be used by The Daily.
With its February 2nd debut carrying a two-week free trial from Verizon, The Daily sparked speculation that a public release of iOS 4.3, and possibly even an introduction of the next-generation iPad, would occur within that two-week period. In particular, one rumor claimed that iOS 4.3 would appear today, a move that appears unlikely to happen given that Apple’s usual iOS release time of 10:00 AM Pacific Time has already passed.
Even without a release today, the broader two-week window for an iOS 4.3 is in fact rapidly drawing to a close, and this extension of free access to The Daily suggests that we may have to wait a little while longer for the software update to make its public debut.
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As noted by MacStories, Apple has seeded the golden master version of Xcode 4 to both iOS and Mac OS X developers. The “golden master” designation indicates that this version of the software is intended to be the final version released to the public, barring any last-minute issues.
Xcode 4, which first debuted for developers at WWDC last June, offers a significant update to Apple’s development environment for Mac OS X and iOS applications. Most visibly, Xcode 4 features a new single-window interface, but a number of other enhancements are also included.
A public release date for Xcode 4 remains unknown. Major Xcode releases have, however, traditionally accompanied Mac OS X software releases. Xcode 3.0 was released alongside Mac OS X Leopard in October 2007, while the Mac OS X Snow Leopard release in August 2009 saw the release of the tweaked Xcode 3.2 that serves as the current basis for the development environment.
MacStories notes that the release notes for Xcode 4 list Mac OS X Lion as a requirement, although this is almost certainly an error given that no Lion seeds have been made available to developers and the description on the download page indicates that Mac OS X Snow Leopard is required. Mac OS X Lion has been pegged for a release sometime this summer.
Update: The golden master build of Xcode 4 appears to have been pulled from Apple’s site, with only the earlier Developer Preview 6 currently available for download.
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Toktumi, the firm behind the popular Line2 VoIP application for iOS devices, today sent an email to its customers warning them of a bug in iOS 4.2 that results in the ringer continuing to ring even after a call is answered when Line2 is running in the background. According to Toktumi, Apple’s engineers are aware of the issue, which reportedly affects all VoIP applications, and have classified it as “severe”.
Attention all Line2 iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad users:
Please do not upgrade to iOS version 4.2.
If you upgrade to iOS 4.2 and you are running Line2 in the background, the ringer will continue to ring even after an incoming call is answered. This affects Line2 as well as all other VoIP and social calling apps. (Note: If you do not use Line2 your Toktumi service will not be effected.)
Apple Developer Support is aware of this issue and has designated its status as ‘severe’. However, as of the most recent iOS beta (GMSeed build), this issue is still not resolved. We apologize for this inconvenience and will update you as soon as we get more information from Apple.
Line2 will continue to work as normal with your current operating system. We strongly encourage you not to install iOS 4.2 until Apple fixes the upgrade issue. We will send out an email update as soon as it is safe to upgrade.
Sincerely,
The Toktumi/Line2 Team
Apple released a golden master version of iOS 4.2 to developers on November 1st, and a public release was expected last week. Reported issues with Wi-Fi connectivity on the iPad have been blamed for delays from Apple’s original internal timeline and resulted in Apple pushing out a revised golden master build for the iPad late last week.
Update: It is not yet known if the issue is addressed in the iOS 4.2.1 golden master that was just seeded to developers.
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Several users have reported that Apple’s iOS software updater within iTunes is currently down, leading to speculation that the company could be preparing to roll out iOS 4.2 in the very near future.
Users connecting their devices to iTunes and clicking the “Check for Update” button are currently being greeted with the following message:
The iPhone software update server could not be contacted.
Make sure your network settings are correct and your network connection is active, or try again later.
iOS 4.2 had been rumored for release last week, but a last-minute issue with Wi-Fi connectivity for iPad users reportedly results in Apple pushing back its internal release timeline and issuing a new golden master version for the iPad to developers. Rumors have pegged the new public release of iOS for sometime this week or early next week ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States.
Update: The software updater is now functioning normally and alerting users running iOS 4.1 that their software is still up-to-date.
Update 2: The iOS software updater is operating sporadically at the moment, sometimes offering the error message and other times noting that the user’s software is up-to-date.
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Contradicting a report from earlier this week that correctly predicted the release of Mac OS X 10.6.5 yesterday and also claimed that iOS 4.2 will be released tomorrow, iPhoneHellas reports [Google translation] that iOS 4.2 will not launch tomorrow and may debut next Tuesday, November 16th.
iPhoneHellas has offered correct information on iOS releases several times in the past, including accurately pinpointing the release of iPhone OS 2.2 ten days ahead of time and iOS 4.0.1 several hours before its launch.
iOS 4.2 will finally unify Apple’s iOS devices on iOS 4, bringing such features as multitasking, home screen folders, and Game Center to the iPad for the first time while also delivering AirPrint, AirPlay, and a number of other enhancements to the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.
Update: MacStories reports that iOS 4.2 may be seeing delays due to issues with Wi-Fi connectivity on the iPad.
Basically, even if the iPad manages to successfully connect to a local network, the connection is lost after a few minutes. This seems to be the most common problem among users, although some can’t simply use Safari at all. The bug has been reported to Apple, and they apparently decided to delay the release of iOS 4.2 to fix the bug.
According to the report, Apple may release a new golden master version of iOS 4.2 as early as Friday, but a public release would come later than the previously-rumored Friday debut.
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Contradicting a report from earlier this week that correctly predicted the release of Mac OS X 10.6.5 yesterday and also claimed that iOS 4.2 will be released tomorrow, iPhoneHellas reports [Google translation] that iOS 4.2 will not launch tomorrow and may debut next Tuesday, November 16th.
iPhoneHellas has offered correct information on iOS releases several times in the past, including accurately pinpointing the release of iPhone OS 2.2 ten days ahead of time and iOS 4.0.1 several hours before its launch.
iOS 4.2 will finally unify Apple’s iOS devices on iOS 4, bringing such features as multitasking, home screen folders, and Game Center to the iPad for the first time while also delivering AirPrint, AirPlay, and a number of other enhancements to the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.
Update: MacStories reports that iOS 4.2 may be seeing delays due to issues with Wi-Fi connectivity on the iPad.
Basically, even if the iPad manages to successfully connect to a local network, the connection is lost after a few minutes. This seems to be the most common problem among users, although some can’t simply use Safari at all. The bug has been reported to Apple, and they apparently decided to delay the release of iOS 4.2 to fix the bug.
According to the report, Apple may release a new golden master version of iOS 4.2 as early as Friday, but a public release would come later than the previously-rumored Friday debut.
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