15.7.3 - Be very careful updating. Dark pattern pushing Tahoe

[Solarflares]

I had 15.6 Sequoia.
I clicked the ‘info’ button on the update page.
I saw that Tahoe was checked.
I cancelled out back to the update page without touching anything.
I hit update now, next to Sequoia.
AND GOT SEQUOIA 15.7.3.

Is there a problem?

 

[turbineseaplane]

I had 15.6 Sequoia.
I clicked the ‘info’ button on the update page.
I saw that Tahoe was checked.
I cancelled out back to the update page without touching anything.
I hit update now, next to Sequoia.
AND GOT SEQUOIA 15.7.3.

Is there a problem?

Yes, line 3 is the problem (in bold).

 

[PerfectChaos]

I definitely agree with you that this is a bit shady, but I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this behavior in previous OS updates as well.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I definitely agree with you that this is a bit shady, but I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this behavior in previous OS updates as well.

Could be, I'm not sure (prev versions comments).

I appreciate you agreeing that it's shady behavior.

It's astounding to me that anyone finds it to be "fine".

 

[Solarflares]

, click on the ‘i’ and select only Safari, otherwise you'll end up with Tahoe.

Update Sequoia to 15.7.3 with no issues, as above.
Then click in the Sequoia area to update Safari.
Why bother with the ‘info’ button at all?

 

[Solarflares]

Yes, line 3 is the problem (in bold).

But I realise now that the info box just lists all availabilities.
What I failed to notice was the ‘Update Now’ button in the ‘info’ box. Now that is cheeky.
Yes, that is a bit naughty for the default go-to to be Tahoe checked, and Sequoia not - especially as that ‘info’ button was in the Sequoia section.
So I understand the hurrah.
Really, the Sequoia ‘info’ button should only list all available Sequoia patches.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I definitely agree with you that this is a bit shady, but I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this behavior in previous OS updates as well.

This is how it has been since Apple moved software updates out of the AppStore in, what, Mojave?
I get it can be a little misleading, but for those saying it’s “the end of Apple”… things used to be significantly worse, especially on the iOS side.
At least these days, Apple doesn’t start pushing their new software upgrade until three or four months after it’s been out, back when iOS 7.0 dropped there was one option, update or get left behind.
There was no extended support for iOS 6, it was 7.0 or nothing.

 

[Wolf1701]

This is how it has been since Apple moved software updates out of the AppStore in, what, Mojave?
I get it can be a little misleading, but for those saying it’s “the end of Apple”… things used to be significantly worse, especially on the iOS side.
At least these days, Apple doesn’t start pushing their new software upgrade until three or four months after it’s been out, back when iOS 7.0 dropped there was one option, update or get left behind.
There was no extended support for iOS 6, it was 7.0 or nothing.

Without harbouring too many illusions that Apple will pick up on the discontent... apathy and blind acceptance of certain mechanisms, now taken for granted, certainly do not help.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

Did not have this problem. Clicked on Sequoia, updated to Sequoia.

I haven't had the problem the OP has referred to, maybe because from the beginning I haven't been interested in upgrading the OS to Tahoe nor have I been interested in knowing more about Tahoe. In this case I scroll down the page to Sequoia to see if there are any updates to Sequoia itself or Safari.

However, I have noticed the great efforts Apple is making to sell Music, TV, Apple Pay, and so on. All the emails, notices, and offers to upgrade or just use Apple TV free of charge for 3 months, and on, and on, are annoying me. See...I never believe in "timed free offers" from anybody or company. There isn't such a thing as a free lunch.

 

[zenmacx]

Bottom line is, Microsoft Apple is using a sleight of hand to drive people to 26.

Yes they are and it’s repulsive.

That sleight of hand is why I retired my 15+ and am using an Oppo Find X9 Pro. The iPad is next to go if the new management does not provide a 'Disable' button for LG. Mac Studio will be tougher to give up...but hell, I already use Debian, so not like I can't get rid of the Studio.

As much as I’ve enjoyed all my Apple computers, tablets and phones for decades, jumping ship would be easy. Especially since I’m already using Android and a well sorted Linux Laptop for work. While I’m not fond of the idea, I must say I’m closer to the jumping off point.

 

[ikir]

Oh no they are pushing a free update! And you can also downgrade/reinstall Sequoia… for free

 

[zenmacx]

I appreciate you agreeing that it's shady behavior.

I concur.

It’s not only shady, it reveals very poor tactics and mindset of a company that doesn’t have to resort to such shenanigans to be profitable.

 

[jchap]

You are correct. The root Library folder is not user-specific, but it is owner-specific and contains personal data.

That also means that Apple is not interested in what you might have "done" to your system, because all your changes are in the "Data" partition.
But all Apple updates are done in the "System" / SSV partition. Completely separate from Data.

So, my takeaway from this is that when Apple updates your system, they do not even touch the Data volume, apparently.

Thanks for the info!

 

[MBAir2010]

if anyone cares I won t update anything from  again.
they simply cannot develop adequate software and are very deceptive as this thread proves.
as  wants to control OUR computers now!

now..... how bout dem C'boys!

 

[MBAir2010]

How on earth is this not front page news?!​

we don't have pages here?

 

[maxoakland]

Wow. Sounds like they want to announce high percentages of upgrades so they can handwave all the very serious, real issues people are having with the latest OSes

So they’re purposely tricking us, the people who pay them and fund their entire existence. Apple is no longer trustworthy.

 

[jchap]

Wow. Sounds like they want to announce high percentages of upgrades so they can handwave all the very serious, real issues people are having with the latest OSes

So they’re purposely tricking us, the people who pay them and fund their entire existence. Apple is no longer trustworthy.

You're assigning a world of intentionally shady behavior to Apple just for leaving a selection box checked.

I don't like it either, and I think they should fix it, but I also realize that Apple is a huge corporation. Their software QC staff either did not think through what they are doing or else this could have been the choice of marketing. It also could have been a simple glitch. Perhaps you could complain to Apple about it, which might actually result in some action.

 

[Solarflares]

You're assigning a world of intentionally shady behavior to Apple just for leaving a selection box.
Perhaps you could complain to Apple about it, which might actually result in some action.

Good idea. But if we never hear from them again after that - we must assume that the Dark Pattern consumed them, as a lesson to others.
Perhaps then would be the best time to re-evaluate our upgrade strategies.
In times of war - every hole is a trench.
To them, it’s an unchecked box. But for us, it’s a frontline position. One from which we can effectively spearhead our initial devastating attack on this evil blackness.

Let September the 15th from now on be known as Tahoe Remembrance day.
A day to solemnly reflect on the fallen many, who unwittingly gave their lives, and Sequoia, to uphold our freedoms.

 

[code-m]

I guess people want macOS and iOS to be what WindowsOS and AndroidOS devices and users have had to experience; fragmentation. Then wonder why developers have to makes sure their app work with multiple OS versions and newer features and technology is not incorporated.

I recall when many apps were still using TouchID when FaceID had been on the scene for at least 4+ years. The random bugs this created to support the few TouchID iOS devices was problematic.

 

[code-m]

You're assigning a world of intentionally shady behavior to Apple just for leaving a selection box checked.

I don't like it either, and I think they should fix it, but I also realize that Apple is a huge corporation. Their software QC staff either did not think through what they are doing or else this could have been the choice of marketing. It also could have been a simple glitch. Perhaps you could complain to Apple about it, which might actually result in some action.

That’s right some customers want Apple to spend Human Resources, time and money to keep supporting yesteryear OS, while also then claim that Apple is not innovating, things are getting stale or taking too long. No wonder the QC on many OSes Apple is developing and releasing is hamstrung. Yes, it’s a trillion dollar valuation company but the ball has to be rolling for better or worse. Don’t like it get off the ball or submit your complaints to Apple, if not balance on the ball and ride it out. No one is ever going to be happy with everything any company does hence you have the option to develop your own OS and show us all how it’s done.

 

[klm9210]

This obsessive compulsive level of MacOS anti-update asceticism needs to be studied

 

[ThomasJL]

The lying comment is strong, I agree, and I hesitated on it.

Here's why I said that though.

Tahoe is up on it's own up top, as it should be, since it's an entirely new major version upgrade.

The "lying" part, which I admit I'm stretching a little, is that Tahoe is not mentioned prominently down under "also Available" and "other updates" -- nor should it be, since it's up top on it's own as is not just "an update", but a major OS upgrade, and something folks should generally just hit "sure, do it!" to without some thought.

Having ANYTHING about Tahoe buried down further under the little "i" for "other updates" just feels so frickin' dirty and sneaky to me.

If I'm a user running Sequoia .. there should be nothing related to Tahoe in this Pref Panel beyond up top where it pushes the major OS upgrade.

View attachment 2587699

Exactly. And thank you for the warning. All of the points you mentioned in that post should be extremely obvious to the software people at Apple, but it doesn’t appear like it. So they are either clueless or bad-intentioned, or both (just like their CEO).

 

[canadianreader]

Thanks for the heads up! The same thing is happening with the iPhone I keep getting reminders to install iOS 26 on my iOS 18 which I keep dismissing. They have the numbers a sizeable chuck of their users aren’t upgrading to iOS/macOS 26 because of the bloat and ugliness so instead of acknowledging and fixing the problem they’re shoving it down our throat. If it gets worse a solutions that could work is to downgrade to a device that doesn’t support iOS 26.

 

[Ctrlos]

This is disgusting. How very Microsoft of them.

Nature abhors a vacuum. Just as Apple slips, another player will enter the market and take all the business of people who will pay for them to "do it right". See what Steam is developing as an example.

You do realise the competition is still Microsoft and Google, right?

 

[Mr_Ed]

You do realise the competition is still Microsoft and Google, right?

Yes. What many of us long time Apple customers lament is that Apple used to be the head-and-shoulders above better choice and seem to have now settled for being merely “the lesser of evils.” And with trust issues like the one in this thread and similar, sneaky “forced but not really” update patterns in iOS they are actively working to chip away at that delta.