Apple releases second developer beta of macOS Catalina 10.15.1

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in macOS edited February 2020
Apple is now on its second try for the macOS Catalina 10.15.1 beta, with developers able to download the second build of the operating system update to their Mac or MacBook for testing.




The new build of the operating system can be downloaded from the Apple Developer Center by those taking part in the testing program, along with the option to perform an over-the-air software update for devices already enrolled into the scheme. A public beta is typically made available shortly after the developer version is distributed, via the Apple Beta Software Program website.

The second beta of macOS Catalina10.15.1 follows six days after the first build was issued for testing, and one day after counterpart betas for iOS 13.2, iPadOS 13.2, tvOS 13.2, and watchOS 6.1.

Though it is an incremental update, with major changes unlikely to be made so soon after Catalina's launch, there are still smaller changes being made to the operating system. The key change this time around is support has been added for the AMD Navi RDNA architecture, increasing the range of graphics cards that can be used in eGPU enclosures.

Other changes 10.15.1 include new emoji mirroring the new additions made in iOS and iPadOS, and a screen asking if users will allow Apple to review audio of Siri queries to improve the digital assistant.

AppleInsider, and Apple itself, strongly recommend users don't install the betas on to "mission-critical" or primary devices, as there is the remote possibility of data loss or other issues. Instead, testers should install betas onto secondary or non-essential devices, and to make sure there are sufficient backups of important data before updating.

Find any changes in the new betas? Reach out to us on Twitter at @AppleInsider or @Andrew_OSU, or send Andrew an email at [email protected].

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    dcskater620dcskater620 Posts: 12member
    Anyone else missing the ability in photos to create a memory from a whole year or month from iOS13 — also disappointed in the memories features they brought from iOS to MacOS, specially the ability to add custom music.
  • Reply 2 of 14
    PetrolDavePetrolDave Posts: 57member
    Will beta 2 fix the crash I had with beta 1 on my MacBook Air?
  • Reply 3 of 14
    caladaniancaladanian Posts: 380member
    dcskater620 said:
    Anyone else missing the ability in photos to create a memory from a whole year or month from iOS13 — also disappointed in the memories features they brought from iOS to MacOS, specially the ability to add custom music.
    I couldn’t care less, compared to the problem Apple Mail has (with Gmail not showing „sent“ and deleted emails). First things first. 
  • Reply 4 of 14
    ScreenSaversScreenSavers Posts: 4unconfirmed, member
    PetrolDave said:
    Will beta 2 fix the crash I had with beta 1 on my MacBook Air?
    Only you can answer that.
  • Reply 5 of 14
    coffeetime69coffeetime69 Posts: 29member
    A senior Apple tech support person has been working with me on why various folder icons are that of a generic document instead of a folder.  He said that numerous others are having this problem.  We've gone down a bunch of highly-technical paths using Terminal (plus other means) to no avail, even with the Catalina Supplement Update installed.  Hopefully 10.15.1 will fix it.
  • Reply 6 of 14
    netroxnetrox Posts: 1,422member
    I am still getting iCloud prompts even after the Supplemental update. It pisses me off. Something is wrong. 
  • Reply 7 of 14
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,728member
    The only issue I've had is my RAID enclosures over TB2 (Mac Pro 2013) are far slower under Catalina than Mojave and worse several programs seem to have trouble with their Libraries run from these RAIDs.  For example, Capture One Pro 12 keeps reporting the masters are offline.  After rebooting everything they come back online. All my RAIDs are HFS+ so I wonder if this is an issue but everything I've read seems to say not to use APFS on RAIDs. Adobe CC 2019, LightRoom Classic and Photoshop in particular also feel sluggish reading data from the RAIDs.
    edited October 2019
  • Reply 8 of 14
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Catalina has ground my 2013 iMac to a virtual standstill. It is an old machine, admittedly, but speed was not an issue for basic use before. Now it is close t unusable. I am wary of upgrading my 2019 mbp, let alone my wife's mbp and kids' mba's. I will never be forgiven. 
  • Reply 9 of 14
    JonxsterJonxster Posts: 3unconfirmed, member
    Still, a dumpster fire, why they released this in Its current state is a mystery.
  • Reply 10 of 14
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,861administrator
    paxman said:
    Catalina has ground my 2013 iMac to a virtual standstill. It is an old machine, admittedly, but speed was not an issue for basic use before. Now it is close t unusable. I am wary of upgrading my 2019 mbp, let alone my wife's mbp and kids' mba's. I will never be forgiven. 
    I'm not certain that drawing a performance parallel between a 2019 machine with a SSD and one six years old with (likely) a hard drive is a good comparison.

    But, like with literally every other operating system that has ever been released by any company, it's not always wise to jump in immediately. We've preached caution every year, and this year is no exception.
    edited October 2019
  • Reply 11 of 14
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,728member
    paxman said:
    Catalina has ground my 2013 iMac to a virtual standstill. It is an old machine, admittedly, but speed was not an issue for basic use before. Now it is close t unusable. I am wary of upgrading my 2019 mbp, let alone my wife's mbp and kids' mba's. I will never be forgiven. 
    I'm not certain that drawing a performance parallel between a 2019 machine with a SSD and one six years old with (likely) a hard drive is a good comparison.

    But, like with literally every other operating system that has ever been released by any company, it's not always wise to jump in immediately. We've preached caution every year, and this year is no exception.
    As stated above my Mac Pro 2013 is also seeing slowdowns (yes I have a Mojave back up) but not on the internal SSD only over TB2 and RAID 0.  I am hoping like the eGPU situation the fix will come in updates.  I am just installing the developer update from yesterday, fingers crossed.

    I fixed it.
    edited October 2019
  • Reply 12 of 14
    foljsfoljs Posts: 390member
    paxman said:
    Catalina has ground my 2013 iMac to a virtual standstill. It is an old machine, admittedly, but speed was not an issue for basic use before. Now it is close t unusable.




    Sounds like a bug in some backend service in Catalina, and not Catalina itself being slow. If anything Catalina should be faster, old iMac or not.
  • Reply 13 of 14
    usersinceos1usersinceos1 Posts: 145member
    coffeetime69 said:
    A senior Apple tech support person has been working with me on why various folder icons are that of a generic document instead of a folder.  He said that numerous others are having this problem.  We've gone down a bunch of highly-technical paths using Terminal (plus other means) to no avail, even with the Catalina Supplement Update installed.  Hopefully 10.15.1 will fix it.
    I also had the problem of most, but not all, folders getting generic file icons.  The problem began with the first Catalina 10.15 developer release.  Some, but not all, of the icons returned to folder icons with a subsequent developer beta.  Finally, with the first MasOS 10.15.1 developer beta, all of the folders returned to folder icons.  I'd suggest trying this release (now up to the second beta).  In other words, it worked for me.
  • Reply 14 of 14
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    PetrolDave said:
    Will beta 2 fix the crash I had with beta 1 on my MacBook Air?
    Did you report the crash through the correct channels? 
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