Apple today released macOS Catalina 10.15.7, the latest update to the macOS Catalina software. macOS Catalina 10.15.7 fixes several major bugs that Mac users have been experiencing, and it comes a month after the latest macOS Catalina release.
The macOS Catalina 10.15.6 Supplemental Update can be downloaded from the Mac App Store using the Update feature in the System Preferences app.
According to Apple's release notes, macOS Catalina 10.15.7 addresses an issue where macOS would not automatically connect to WiFi, it fixes a bug that could prevent files from syncing through iCloud Drive, and most notably for new iMac owners, it fixes an issue that was causing a small white flashing line to appear on machines equipped with the Radeon Pro 5700 XT.
macOS Catalina 10.15.7 provides important security updates and bug fixes for your Mac.
- Resolves an issue where macOS would not automatically connect to Wi-Fi networks - Fixes an issue that could prevent files syncing through iCloud Drive - Addresses a graphic issue that may occur on iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2020) with Radeon Pro 5700 XT
Some features may not be available for all regions, or on all Apple devices. For detailed information about the security content of this update, please visit: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
Since the launch of the 27-inch iMac in August, there have been complaints about a graphical glitch with the model that includes the higher-end a 5700 XT GPU. Many users have reported seeing flashes of a horizontal white line, and while it was unclear if it was a software or hardware issue, today's fix indicates that it was indeed a software-related bug.
Indeed, there has not been a 10.x.7 release since Snow Leopard in 2011.
God I miss those years. Bertrand Serlet was the head OS X engineer for 10.4 - 10.6 and also headed the Intel transition. Snow Leopard will always be the holy grail of OS X releases.
Apple should return to two year cycles. I remember having to wipe my Mac Pro with each biweekly development release and install each fresh. It allowed for proper debugging by eliminating possible third party apps and plugins from interfering in properly ironing out OS bugs while allowing developers plenty of time to work on their apps. Then Cook wanted to cash in on the Mac App Store by aligning OS X releases to iOS annual cycles to entice more developers and cash in on a new revenue stream with the Mac App Store.
Unfortunately, rushing release cycles lead to more bugs and less polish. I’d rather spend $129 for a proper OS release than free annual system updates that need more time for a proper release, especially as Apple began developing more variants of MacBooks and iMacs and Macbook Air’s and Mac mini’s and Mac Pro’s.
the genius of Jobs was his ability to see simplicity and make it work. When he returned to Apple in the late 90’s he slashed Scully era projects and created the now infamous Quadrant focusing on core products:
Consumer Professional
Laptop iBook/MacBook PowerBook
Desktop eMac/iMac PowerMac/Mac Pro
simple. No product fragmentation. Reasonably priced systems that balanced form and function perfectly. Jony Ive made his visions come to life and Cook ran the financials. It was the perfect trio.
Now we have three iPhone sizes and each have different features, iPad/iPad mini/iPad Air/iPad Pro 11 and 12, MacBoo Air, MacBook Pro 13/16, mac minis, but only one 27” iMac and a $6000 Mac Pro. Then Apple Watches with endless bands, HomePods, AppleTV and AppleTV 4K, iPod Touch, etc etc etc
I miss the three dedicated displays that ranged from 20”, 23”, and the award winning 30” ACD professionals used that didn’t cost $5999 without a stand.
Then they ditch their airport line instead of moving to mesh systems while pushing harder into streaming services. If 90% of your product line and services depend on wireless networking, why ditch a stellar network product line? Update it or buy out a company producing next gen mesh systems and bring them in house. Add mesh networking into HomePods and AppleTV’s as they’re already HomeKit hubs. Don’t wipe a central product line and sell third party systems that are hit or miss in working with the very products that depend on them to function. I knew Cook had to have made that decision as it‘s very typical of CFO’s to see only what may be and not what can be, thinking primarily about cutting divisions shortterm while not understanding the longterm consequences. Ever since they ditched their AirPort line consumers have had to fend for themselves in finding systems that work with Apple products.
I feared Cook would run Apple like Scully and he is only focused on one thing: stocks and marketshare. Jobs knew to create stellar products first and everything else would follow. He brought Apple out of bankruptcy and paved the way in reshaping numerous markets. Before the iPhone, cellular companies would not allow mobile device manufacturers to run their own software. It had to be Verizons or Sprints. AT&T was the only carrier who agreed to Jobs’ insistence on running iPhoneOS on Apple’s first iphones. After the success, Verizon agreed followed by other carriers and soon Android came out and the days of mobile phones running carrier OS’s became a distant memory.
Jobs was difficult but he knew exactly how to make it work.
First recent macOS release with a 10.x.7 update. I think the last time this happened was when we were on two year upgrade cycles.
Indeed, there has not been a 10.x.7 release since Snow Leopard in 2011.
I realize things are odd this year due to Covid, but I'm glad Apple is staggering releases a bit more this season. I hope they consider returning to longer development cycles and spacing out releases during the year as they used to, thus (hopefully) shipping better software and allowing products to reach further maturity through updates before the next version ships. They are trying to throw too much stuff out the door at the same time every year and it is impossible for any organization to do that well. One or two things at a time, please!
After the disastrous MobileMe launch, Steve Jobs sent a mea culpa email ('https://www.cultofmac.com/495868/today-in-apple-history-steve-jobs-acknowledges-mobileme-failure/'), including the following:
It was a mistake to launch MobileMe at the same time as iPhone 3G, iPhone 2.0 software and the App Store. We all had more than enough to do, and MobileMe could have been delayed without consequence.
Apple has more than enough to do with each major OS release. Slow it down, stagger the releases, and get stuff right.
First recent macOS release with a 10.x.7 update. I think the last time this happened was when we were on two year upgrade cycles.
EDIT: Yep, I was right. Last time we had a release go past 10.x.6 was Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.8, of which was the last macOS release on a two year upgrade cycle (and still supported the first Rosetta, mind you!). Catalina has really been a crapshoot. For perspective, first time this has happened in over TEN years. C'mon Apple & Craig Federighi. Hoping Big Sur will be better.
Glad to know you know everything that goes on inside of Apple on a daily basis...
I think I know Apple pretty well. I have been a developer since the developer program cost $1500/yr and MPW came in 3-ring binders. I worked for an Apple dealer (long before Apple Stores came about) and I have exhibited at MacWorld. Steve was deeply connected to almost every significant decision in the company.
Wednesday April 24, 2024 2:05 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple is set to unveil iOS 18 during its WWDC keynote on June 10, so the software update is a little over six weeks away from being announced. Below, we recap rumored features and changes planned for the iPhone with iOS 18. iOS 18 will reportedly be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, with new ChatGPT-inspired generative AI features, a more customizable Home Screen, and much more....
Wednesday April 24, 2024 3:39 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released several open source large language models (LLMs) that are designed to run on-device rather than through cloud servers. Called OpenELM (Open-source Efficient Language Models), the LLMs are available on the Hugging Face Hub, a community for sharing AI code. As outlined in a white paper [PDF], there are eight total OpenELM models, four of which were pre-trained using the...
Apple has announced it will be holding a special event on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 a.m. Pacific Time (10 a.m. Eastern Time), with a live stream to be available on Apple.com and on YouTube as usual. The event invitation has a tagline of "Let Loose" and shows an artistic render of an Apple Pencil, suggesting that iPads will be a focus of the event. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more ...
Best Buy is discounting a collection of M3 MacBook Pro computers today, this time focusing on the 14-inch version of the laptop. Every deal in this sale requires you to have a My Best Buy Plus or Total membership, although non-members can still get solid second-best prices on these MacBook Pro models. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a...
Saturday April 27, 2024 12:41 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
There are widespread reports of Apple users being locked out of their Apple ID overnight for no apparent reason, requiring a password reset before they can log in again. Users say the sudden inexplicable Apple ID sign-out is occurring across multiple devices. When they attempt to sign in again they are locked out of their account and asked to reset their password in order to regain access. ...
Apple used to regularly increase the base memory of its Macs up until 2011, the same year Tim Cook was appointed CEO, charts posted on Mastodon by David Schaub show. Earlier this year, Schaub generated two charts: One showing the base memory capacities of Apple's all-in-one Macs from 1984 onwards, and a second depicting Apple's consumer laptop base RAM from 1999 onwards. Both charts were...
Top Rated Comments
Apple should return to two year cycles. I remember having to wipe my Mac Pro with each biweekly development release and install each fresh. It allowed for proper debugging by eliminating possible third party apps and plugins from interfering in properly ironing out OS bugs while allowing developers plenty of time to work on their apps. Then Cook wanted to cash in on the Mac App Store by aligning OS X releases to iOS annual cycles to entice more developers and cash in on a new revenue stream with the Mac App Store.
Unfortunately, rushing release cycles lead to more bugs and less polish. I’d rather spend $129 for a proper OS release than free annual system updates that need more time for a proper release, especially as Apple began developing more variants of MacBooks and iMacs and Macbook Air’s and Mac mini’s and Mac Pro’s.
the genius of Jobs was his ability to see simplicity and make it work. When he returned to Apple in the late 90’s he slashed Scully era projects and created the now infamous Quadrant focusing on core products:
Consumer Professional
Laptop iBook/MacBook PowerBook
Desktop eMac/iMac PowerMac/Mac
Pro
simple. No product fragmentation. Reasonably priced systems that balanced form and function perfectly. Jony Ive made his visions come to life and Cook ran the financials. It was the perfect trio.
Now we have three iPhone sizes and each have different features, iPad/iPad mini/iPad Air/iPad Pro 11 and 12, MacBoo Air, MacBook Pro 13/16, mac minis, but only one 27” iMac and a $6000 Mac Pro. Then Apple Watches with endless bands, HomePods, AppleTV and AppleTV 4K, iPod Touch, etc etc etc
I miss the three dedicated displays that ranged from 20”, 23”, and the award winning 30” ACD professionals used that didn’t cost $5999 without a stand.
Then they ditch their airport line instead of moving to mesh systems while pushing harder into streaming services. If 90% of your product line and services depend on wireless networking, why ditch a stellar network product line? Update it or buy out a company producing next gen mesh systems and bring them in house. Add mesh networking into HomePods and AppleTV’s as they’re already HomeKit hubs. Don’t wipe a central product line and sell third party systems that are hit or miss in working with the very products that depend on them to function. I knew Cook had to have made that decision as it‘s very typical of CFO’s to see only what may be and not what can be, thinking primarily about cutting divisions shortterm while not understanding the longterm consequences. Ever since they ditched their AirPort line consumers have had to fend for themselves in finding systems that work with Apple products.
I feared Cook would run Apple like Scully and he is only focused on one thing: stocks and marketshare. Jobs knew to create stellar products first and everything else would follow. He brought Apple out of bankruptcy and paved the way in reshaping numerous markets. Before the iPhone, cellular companies would not allow mobile device manufacturers to run their own software. It had to be Verizons or Sprints. AT&T was the only carrier who agreed to Jobs’ insistence on running iPhoneOS on Apple’s first iphones. After the success, Verizon agreed followed by other carriers and soon Android came out and the days of mobile phones running carrier OS’s became a distant memory.
Jobs was difficult but he knew exactly how to make it work.
How I miss those days.
I realize things are odd this year due to Covid, but I'm glad Apple is staggering releases a bit more this season. I hope they consider returning to longer development cycles and spacing out releases during the year as they used to, thus (hopefully) shipping better software and allowing products to reach further maturity through updates before the next version ships. They are trying to throw too much stuff out the door at the same time every year and it is impossible for any organization to do that well. One or two things at a time, please!
After the disastrous MobileMe launch, Steve Jobs sent a mea culpa email ('https://www.cultofmac.com/495868/today-in-apple-history-steve-jobs-acknowledges-mobileme-failure/'), including the following:
Apple has more than enough to do with each major OS release. Slow it down, stagger the releases, and get stuff right.
EDIT: Yep, I was right. Last time we had a release go past 10.x.6 was Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.8, of which was the last macOS release on a two year upgrade cycle (and still supported the first Rosetta, mind you!). Catalina has really been a crapshoot. For perspective, first time this has happened in over TEN years. C'mon Apple & Craig Federighi. Hoping Big Sur will be better.