Apple Seeds New Version of macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 Beta 2 to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Apple seeded the second beta of macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 to developers earlier this week, but it appears an updated version of the second beta was just released this afternoon.

The original beta had a build number of 17E150f, while the new update available today from the Developer Center lists a build number of 17E150g. It's not clear why Apple has released an updated version of beta 2, but the new beta is also available for public beta testers.

Registered developers can download the beta from the Apple Developer Center or through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store with the proper profile installed.

macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 beta 2 didn't introduce any major new features, but it did change "iBooks" to "Books" to mirror changes made in iOS 11.3.

The update includes bug fixes and performance improvements for issues that weren't addressed in macOS High Sierra 10.13.3, and it offers support for some features that are also available in iOS 11.3, like Messages on iCloud, which uploads all of your iMessages to the cloud. It will also support Business Chat, a feature coming when iOS 11.3 and macOS 10.13.4 are released to the public.

macOS 10.13.4 also includes the smoke cloud wallpaper that was previously only available on the iMac Pro, and it introduces a warning when opening up a 32-bit app as part of an effort to phase them out.

In the future, Apple plans to phase out 32-bit Mac apps, just like it did with 32-bit iOS apps. Apple says macOS High Sierra is the last version of macOS that will support 32-bit apps without compromises.

Top Rated Comments

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cflem

18 months ago

It’s.
A.
Beta.

Rating: 6 Votes

Babygotfont

18 months ago

Yes...but...betas are suppose to improve things on a journey towards eventual “gold version”, not a constant regress.

Apple hopefully will consider more so a two year period instead of a yearly overhaul.

[doublepost=1518221037][/doublepost]

It’s
A
******
Beta

Rating: 3 Votes

BaltimoreMediaBlog

18 months ago

This 1 step forward, 2 steps back process and rut that Apple seems stuck in is very frustrating.

There's just not enough new features to justify breaking so many things and adding spinning beachballs to processes that didn't happen before. If this has to do with the 32 bit apps thing, then I'll jump into that category against that too.

If Microsoft did something like this, Apple would be making commercials ridiculing them. Remember the I'm a Mac commercials ridiculing Microsoft security? Apple is fast becoming what it used to ridicule.

The poster child for this failed testing is the Command-B bug. How can BOLD via Command-B work properly in every word processing program or website like MacRumors, but yet work inconsistently in the MAIL program? This boggles my mind. Others say they do not have this problem, but it's nearly impossible for this bug to be just specific to my Mac Pro.

Rating: 2 Votes

Superhai

18 months ago

Yes...but...betas are suppose to improve things on a journey towards eventual “gold version”, not a constant regress.

No, betas are used to find bugs in new, improved or optimised features. It is not unusual that fixes causes unintended bugs.

There are no laws saying how betas should progress. But usually you don’t implement something entirely new between beta versions.

Rating: 2 Votes

loby

18 months ago

('https://www.macrumors.com/2018/02/08/apple-seeds-new-macos-high-sierra-10-13-4-beta-2/')

Apple seeded the second beta of macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 ('https://www.macrumors.com/2018/02/06/apple-seeds-macos-high-sierra-10-13-4-beta-2/') to developers earlier this week, but it appears an updated version of the second beta was just released this afternoon.

The original beta had a build number of 17E150f, while the new update available today from the Developer Center lists a build number of 17E150g. It's not clear why Apple has released an updated version of beta 2, but the new beta is also available for public beta testers.

Registered developers can download the beta from the Apple Developer Center or through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store with the proper profile installed.

macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 beta 2 didn't introduce any major new features, but it did change "iBooks" to "Books" to mirror changes made in iOS 11.3.

The update includes bug fixes and performance improvements for issues that weren't addressed in macOS High Sierra 10.13.3, and it offers support for some features that are also available in iOS 11.3, like Messages on iCloud, which uploads all of your iMessages to the cloud. It will also support Business Chat, a feature coming when iOS 11.3 and macOS 10.13.4 are released to the public.

macOS 10.13.4 also includes the smoke cloud wallpaper that was previously only available on the iMac Pro, and it introduces a warning when opening up a 32-bit app as part of an effort to phase them out.

In the future, Apple plans to phase out 32-bit Mac apps, just like it did with 32-bit iOS apps. Apple says macOS High Sierra is the last version of macOS that will support 32-bit apps without compromises.

Article Link: Apple Seeds New Version of macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 Beta 2 to Developers and Public Beta Testers ('https://www.macrumors.com/2018/02/08/apple-seeds-new-macos-high-sierra-10-13-4-beta-2/')

I have been sending feedback in on things that broke with 10.13.3 so I hope they are getting fixed...sloppy stuff that should not break with upgraded versions

Rating: 2 Votes

tywebb13

18 months ago

Seed note says

"Fixed an issue that may have resulted in corrupted pictures, Preview opening to solid red
or solid blue, missing controls in QuickTime player, missing icons in the menu bar, or the
failure to highlight items in Microsoft Office."

Rating: 2 Votes

Ener Ji

18 months ago

Also, I am amazed that mail does not get the attention that it is needed. DOESN"T APPLE USE THEIR OWN APPS?

You would think mail would get attention if Tim Cook uses the app? these issues have continued for years if you use the Mail app. Wouldn't they too get irritated at these bugs and say something like, "Focus on this instead of emoji's ????????? :)

Sadly, I think Tim Cook probably does most of his email on an iPad Pro, and not on a Mac.

Rating: 1 Votes

loby

18 months ago

It’s.
A.
Beta.

Rating: 1 Votes

Defthand

18 months ago

It’s. A. Beta.

It is and it isn’t. The incremental updates are, but the over all OS has been available to the public for months now. The ongoing developments are addressing shortcomings and belated features with a released product, but it’s disturbing to hear how unpredictable the fixes can be.

I don’t participate in the MacOS beta program, and I hesitate to upgrade to High Sierra since the quality of Apple’s coding has been uncharacteristicly flawed—an admission Apple made when it announced it would postpone additional features to focus on quality instead.

Historically, MacOS has been the most reliable OS conceived. It would be a huge disappointment to see it de-evolve into something resembling Windows.

P.S. I’m still irked that Apple proceded with a new file system that is incompatible with their Fusion drives, knowing damn well that an iMac’s harddrive can’t easily be swapped for an SSD.

Rating: 1 Votes

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