Apple covering all the bases with Mac OS X 10.5.8 betas
With each successive beta release of Mac OS X 10.5.8, it's becoming increasingly apparent that Apple is determined to give nearly every facet of its Leopard operating system a diligent once-over before turning its focus to Snow Leopard.
For example, a new seed of the Leopard update -- reportedly release as build 9L22 on Wednesday -- follows closely on the heels of build 9L20 this past Friday, yet sports an entirely distinct set of test areas that emphasize in/out technologies and other low-level frameworks.
By comparison, Friday's build leaned towards evaluation of imaging-relating technologies, while the builds before it arrived with similarly distinct focus areas, according to people familiar with the situation.
AppleInsider believes the disparities from build-to-build may provide yet another clue to suggest that Mac OS X 10.5.8 may be the final update to Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, and that the Mac maker is giving the operating system a final pass-through before shifting its energies toward the further advancement of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, due for release in September.
Other people familiar with build 9L22 say the beta includes just one known issue related to saving emails to hard drives. It also bundles only four new fixes, bringing the total number of code corrections expected as part of Mac OS X 10.5.8 to just shy of four dozen.
Some of the latest fixes correct USB audio distortion, power management with FireWire, and an issue with Bluetooth printers.
For example, a new seed of the Leopard update -- reportedly release as build 9L22 on Wednesday -- follows closely on the heels of build 9L20 this past Friday, yet sports an entirely distinct set of test areas that emphasize in/out technologies and other low-level frameworks.
By comparison, Friday's build leaned towards evaluation of imaging-relating technologies, while the builds before it arrived with similarly distinct focus areas, according to people familiar with the situation.
AppleInsider believes the disparities from build-to-build may provide yet another clue to suggest that Mac OS X 10.5.8 may be the final update to Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, and that the Mac maker is giving the operating system a final pass-through before shifting its energies toward the further advancement of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, due for release in September.
Other people familiar with build 9L22 say the beta includes just one known issue related to saving emails to hard drives. It also bundles only four new fixes, bringing the total number of code corrections expected as part of Mac OS X 10.5.8 to just shy of four dozen.
Some of the latest fixes correct USB audio distortion, power management with FireWire, and an issue with Bluetooth printers.
Comments
Shelve this crap and get on to Snow Leopard Apple. Stop dinking around
Some of us have non-Intel machines. Glad to see some more PPC love before it gets shut off.
I agree that they will push their focus to SL after this update to make it as bug free as possible before September, but I still think that there will be another Leopard update after the SL release.
edit:
I just checked the timeline. Since August will be 3 years since the last PPC Mac was discontinued it’s quite likely this will be the last update. I was thinking of the “about a year” statement from the WWDC 2008 which was in early June.
I know it sucks to not get the next OS for your 3 year Power Mac, but I think you’ll be happy when you get to finally use SL on an Intel Mac.
Interestingly I haven't heard of any official Apple position on the PPC machines and Leopard. Don't really care though because this guy runs Intel hardware. I understand the concerns of PPC users but let's face it there is always Linux.
Dave
I suspect Apple will be issuing security updates and significant bug fixes for awhile.
Security and firmware updates, but another point update is looking less likely with the last discoed PPC being just over 3 years from the Sl release.
I hope they are planning on fixing the Bluetooth issues that they screwed the pooch on in the last update.
oh dear lord PLEEEEEASE! it's really awful. anytime i boot into windows my bluetooth mouse works perfectly. PERFECTLY. when it goes to sleep it takes a split second to wake us, whereas under OS X it rarely stays connected for more than a couple of minutes and sometimes takes that long to wake up
surely this update is due in a week or two
Nearly every facet. Still no iTunes dashboard widget love I'm guessing, especially seeing as it is still reportedly broken in the SL seeds - it is the fault of iTunes 8 though, so maybe it will be fixed with 9. Saw me coming, didn't you?
It'll be interesting to see whether iTunes 9 will be pure Cocoa and based on Quicktime X - although if they make the move I have a feeling that PowerPC support will be droped in that version.
As Microsoft is this time around.
If they don't put the OS in "REAL WORLD" situations it's going to be business as usual.
OS release. People pissed off. Apple 2 months later puts out a bug fix.
Edit, Apple 2 months later putting out another bug fix. 2 months later Apple says there may be a problem. 6 months later a quiet update comes that downgrades speeds and battery life and everything is OK.
If they released the iPhone 3GS to the public (as the Palm Pre did) you wouldn't have the battery issues and buggy OS that came with the iBlowup and Kill Phone.
Recall is coming.
Can't wait for the next upgrade to the iMacs. They may take us back to SATA alpha release A.
My guess is that a 10.5.10 release will come out right after the SL release.
We may even see a .11, given that it is the last OS that Power PC users will ever use.
I hope they are planning on fixing the Bluetooth issues that they screwed the pooch on in the last update.
Not on the list because 10.5.7 + firmware update actually fixed Bluetooth issues. My mouse no longer drops its connection and it re-syncs almost immediately after turning it on. Don't know, don't care what planet you come from. You're wrong.
Nearly every facet. Still no iTunes dashboard widget love I'm guessing, especially seeing as it is still reportedly broken in the SL seeds - it is the fault of iTunes 8 though, so maybe it will be fixed with 9. Saw me coming, didn't you?
It'll be interesting to see whether iTunes 9 will be pure Cocoa and based on Quicktime X - although if they make the move I have a feeling that PowerPC support will be droped in that version.
Except for the DashboardClient getting 64-bit support I don’t see any evidence that Apple has even put any effort into Dashboard. The Widgets are clearly being left for dead.
BTW, the iTunes widget still does not show playlists. Other niggling issues is that I can’t rearrange the stocks like I can on the iPhone (I’d think they’d want to mirror the feel even though they are coded differently) and it would be nice for the weather widget to pull your location the way the new Time Zone in Sys Prefs can determine your location. I’d even like a GPS chip in future Mac notebooks so this is even more accurate and can do even cooler stuff, especially with mapping software.
If Apple was concerned about covering "ALL BASES" they would put out a Full Public Release for bug testing.
As Microsoft is this time around.
If they don't put the OS in "REAL WORLD" situations it's going to be business as usual.
OS release. People pissed off. Apple 2 months later puts out a bug fix.
If they released the iPhone 3GS to the public (as the Palm Pre did) you wouldn't have the battery issues and buggy OS that came with the iBlowup and Kill Phone.
Recall is coming.
1) MS needed to do a public release due to the very poor acceptance and general ill feeling toward Vista. Their public Beta was mearly a, “see, it’s doesn’t suck anymore” marketing manuever. A good move, but nothing altruistic about it.
2) SL is considerably much more stable than Leopard was at this point, perhaps even more stable than Leopard when it went GM. There will be bugs, there are always bugs. If that is an issue with anyone then I suggest not updating for awhile. That includes Windows 7, too.
3) The iPhone 3GS and Palm Pre are not the operating systems, so I don’t know you do a public Beta of HW.
4) The iPhone OS v3.0 had a lot more testers than WebOS had and the results of both the OSes, and the Pre and 3GS appear to show the iPhone has bested it in all the categories you are saying it has not. The Pre’s build quality and issues appear to be much greater than the iPhone despite the 3GS’ much greater sales.
5) For there to be a recall there has to be a large percentage of issues or the faulty devices have to be physical hazard. So far, I have seen neither of those from the Pre or the 3GS.
Too far away from the late September Snow Leopard release. We will see 10.5.9......at least.
My guess is that a 10.5.10 release will come out right after the SL release.
We may even see a .11, given that it is the last OS that Power PC users will ever use.
I hope you are correct as I do some Power Mac users that were hoping to get another year out of their machine. They still can, but having some point updates makes them feel more loved.
3) The iPhone 3GS and Palm Pre are not the operating systems, so I don?t know you do a public Beta of HW.
I believe the correct answer is...
1. Public Beta of Software.
2. Public Beta of Hardware (HW) to insure that you are covered on all basis like the 3GS getting so hot it burns you.
Yes, I know the difference and Yes you were correct in advising TechStud not to buy the 3GS.
Apple's PR Director should be shot and then fired. In that order so Apple can save on benefits for his/her family.
Apple's secrecy policy has got to the point of ridiculous.
Just buy the computer or new phone. You don't need to know the specs or what parts are inside it.
I believe the correct answer is...
1. Public Beta of Software.
2. Public Beta of Hardware (HW) to insure that you are covered on all basis like the 3GS getting so hot it burns you.
Yes, I know the difference and Yes you were correct in advising TechStud not to buy the 3GS.
Apple's PR Director should be shot and then fired. In that order so Apple can save on benefits for his/her family.
Apple's secrecy policy has got to the point of ridiculous.
Just buy the computer or new phone. You don't need to know the specs or what parts are inside it.
The issue with the battery does not appear to be wide spread. It would appear to be a battery issue (or some other component causing the battery to work to it?s fullest extent). This is more than often not a design flaw with the entire widget ?which sounds like what are suggesting with the recall and suggestion that Apple didn?t test the 3GS HW? but with a batch of a component. I?d lean toward batteries as we?ve seen plenty of batch issues with them in the past. If that is the case then no amount of pre-release testing could account for this anomaly. Anecdotally speaking, my 3GS back has gotten less hot than my 3G or original iPhones.
I agree that Apple?s secrecy is no longer having the same effect. Same goes with their limited, boutique-style products. That works well when you are small and innovative and when you need to keep the more powerful companies from mercilessly copying you IP and/or announcing phantom-ware to keep consumers focused on the big players. That is no longer a game Apple can play well, even in the PC market as they are quite dominate among students and >$1000 PCs. I think we?ll see a slow moving exodus of these traits over time but it?s usually hard to teach an old dog new tricks, especially when then old tricks worked so well in the past. It?s why some guys get stuck think the Trans Am and mullet are cool decades later? it?s what they had when they first got laid and so they think it will happen again for some reason.
The issue with the battery does not appear to be wide spread. It would appear to be a battery issue (or some other component causing the battery to work to it’s fullest extent). This is more than often not a design flaw with the entire widget —which sounds like what are suggesting with the recall and suggestion that Apple didn’t test the 3GS HW— but with a batch of a component. I’d lean toward batteries as we’ve seen plenty of batch issues with them in the past. If that is the case then no amount of pre-release testing could account for this anomaly. Anecdotally speaking, my 3GS back has gotten less hot than my 3G or original iPhones.
I agree that Apple’s secrecy is no longer having the same effect. Same goes with their limited, boutique-style products. That works well when you are small and innovative and when you need to keep the more powerful companies from mercilessly copying you IP and/or announcing phantom-ware to keep consumers focused on the big players. That is no longer a game Apple can play well, even in the PC market as they are quite dominate among students and >$1000 PCs. I think we’ll see a slow moving exodus of these traits over time but it’s usually hard to teach an old dog new tricks, especially when then old tricks worked so well in the past. It’s why some guys get stuck think the Trans Am and mullet are cool decades later… it’s what they had when they first got laid and so they think it will happen again for some reason.
Both of the reasons you stated above are why Apple will never be more than an annoyance to Microsoft.
The 3GS isn't as hot as my 3G.
Apple's secrecy is not even 1990's advertising. People in the 21st century want to know what they are buying and what speeds they deliver before the product is released.
Every other manufacturer of computers and phones give this to their prospective buyers weeks if not months in advance & please don't pull the "they can steal their features". Who really wants to edit video on their phone? My Motorola V551 was ancient and still gave 30 frames per second with 1 touch voice dialing. I don't recall what the camera specs were but it gave better pictures than my iPhone & my iPhone 3G.
It's only Apple that doesn't. The iPhone 3GS is less than stellar in comparison with phones for the same money (out of contract).
Apple's computer side is downgrading and cutting costs that have an impact on performance.
Yes, Apple had a good month but Netbooks and Win 7 will turn this around next quarter when Win 7 is released.
Too many other smart phones are just smarter than the iPhone. I love my 3G but my buddy picked up the Samsung Omnia i910 which is free now and couldn't be happier with his new smart phone. The interface isn't as refined but he can launch Pandora and get push email for free and it multi tasks apps. He charges it about every other day with heavy use with his bluetooth calls in his car while he's listening to Pandora.
Edit. It doesn't get HOT at all, Ever.
Both of the reasons you stated above are why Apple will never be more than an annoyance to Microsoft.
I am not sure how MS got pulled into this. They are primary a software company. If we are talking about PCs then they are only a SW company in that regard. Apple sells HW. Even if Apple had the marketshare of HP they would still be many times smaller than MS on the OS front. It’s category that means nothing with so much being platform-agnostic. For the items that are dependent on an OS, Apple only has to maintain a high enough level to keep themselves relevant. If Apple didn’t license their OS when they had considerably less marketshare, the internet was less prolific and standards unfriendly, and they had a lot less homegrown apps for customers then there is no way that they’d license it now when none of these things affect them.
The 3GS isn't as hot as my 3G.
Your comment about a mass recall, the PR director being shot and your assessment that they didn’t test the HW well makes me scratch my head that you have a 3GS and that it’s working fine.
Apple's secrecy is not even 1990's advertising. People in the 21st century want to know what they are buying and what speeds they deliver before the product is released. Every other manufacturer of computers and phones give this to their prospective buyers weeks if not months in advance.It’s only Apple that doesn’t.
There are reasons for such actions. Apple announced the original iPhone 6 months in advance. Same goes for the AppleTV. The iPhone announcement is obvious but the AppleTV announcement is more speculative. Palm was faltering and they had to create hype for the Pre. It was the smart play, but announcing 6 months ahead isn’t always the way to go.
The iPhone 3GS is less than stellar in comparison with phones for the same money (out of contract). Apple's computer side is downgrading and cutting costs that have an impact on performance.
You’ll have to provide some examples of that that aren’t based on a simple preference. Apple doesn’t try to suit everyone’s needs or they’d have a more diverse line of products like other companies that do try to get every type of customer. This goes back to my boutique comment in an earlier post. Without product line growth there will resources and shipping bottlenecks as demand grows. Apple handled this well with the iPod, which sells in Wal-Mart, so I does look like they won’t be that stuck when they feel the time is right.
Yes, Apple had a good month but Netbooks and Win 7 will turn this around next quarter when Win 7 is released.
You’re talking marketshare again. A loss of marketshare does not equate to a loss of sales. The better measure to compare a product sales year-over-year. If you are lowering your margins to maintain or increase your unit sales then you need to account for that. RiM has increased their unit sales and their profit year-over-year but do to BOGO and other sales tactics they’ve had to sell a lot more for a little gain. They will likely continue to sell even more units than the previous year, even if the 3GS outsells them these next two seasons, but they are still making money. I wouldn’t call that a failure.
Too many other smart phones are just smarter than the iPhone. I love my 3G but my buddie picked up the Samsung Omnia i910 which is free now and couldn't be happier with his new smart phone. The interface isn't as refined but he can launch Pandora and get push email for free.
Saying it’s smarter means nothing. Having Pandora running in the background means it’s smarter doesn’t make much sense to me. If it’s a feature you want then return your 3GS, it’s still under 30 days. I think background apps will come, but only when Apple figures out how to make the OS handle it well without affect the user experience of the foreground app or causing developers any issues with having to account for a background app grabbing too many cylcles or too much RAM. I’m note sure what the Push email comment is about since the iPhone can get Push email for free, too.
PS: Why is that I only hear about Pandora and Skype running in the background? Is that the limit of people’s imagination or are most things really handled better by Push Notifications. BTW, PN will be available for the Pre (the same Pre that does background apps) laster this year.