Apple Releases First Beta of macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 to Public Beta Testers

[MacRumors]

Apple today released the first beta of an upcoming macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 update to public beta testers, one day after releasing the 10.13.6 update for developers. macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 comes as macOS High Sierra 10.13.5 remains in beta testing.

Beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program will be able to download the new macOS High Sierra beta through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store.

Those who want to be a part of Apple's beta testing program can sign up to participate through the beta testing website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas.

No notable features or changes were discovered in the first beta of macOS 10.13.6 provided to developers, suggesting the new software focuses on bug fixes and other under-the-hood updates.

macOS 10.13.6 is likely to be one of the last updates to macOS High Sierra, as Apple is transitioning to macOS 10.14. macOS 10.14 will be unveiled next week at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

Article Link: Apple Releases First Beta of macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 to Public Beta Testers

 

[mattburley7]

yet still no 10.13.5 release

 

[viperGTS]

Sweet! But where's 10.13.5

 

[dan9700]

realse.5

 

[mattburley7]

there is still a chance .5 could be released later in the day?

 

[dan9700]

why isnt 10.13.5 out what has happened?

 

[mithion]

Not sure what the hold up is on 10.13.5. Rumors are swirling they are holding it untill wwdc because it contains support for new hardware that will be announced on Monday. With that said, it's strange nobody has picked up new hardware references in the beta build so it's anybody's guess...

 

[benji888]

yeah, I thought we'd see macOS update today, since Apple usually puts out iOS/etc. Tues., macOS Thurs.

Is Apple waiting until WWDC? Maybe they have a new Mac announcement they want to keep under wraps???
[doublepost=1527787815][/doublepost]

Not sure what the hold up is on 10.13.5. Rumors are swirling they are holding it untill wwdc because it contains support for new hardware that will be announced on Monday. With that said, it's strange nobody has picked up new hardware references in the beta build so it's anybody's guess...

This is what I was looking for, however, maybe Apple purposely left hardware references out, want to keep it under wraps until announced, (meaning the GM will actually be slightly different than the last beta)??

 

[viperGTS]

Not sure what the hold up is on 10.13.5. Rumors are swirling they are holding it untill wwdc because it contains support for new hardware that will be announced on Monday. With that said, it's strange nobody has picked up new hardware references in the beta build so it's anybody's guess...

I hope that hiding new Macs isn't the reason why it's delayed. That would be really stupid because Apple already has public documentation on how to use iMessages in iCloud on macOS. That would cause a lot of confusion among everyday users and I don't think Apple would risk that just to keep Macs under wraps.

But who knows...

 

[bluespider]

very odd indeed... even with no official explanation from apple as to the where abouts of .5 wonder if upgrading to .6 beta will bring cloud messages to Mac or is it missing there?

 

[Mr$tone]

I hope that hiding new Macs isn't the reason why it's delayed. That would be really stupid because Apple already has public documentation on how to use iMessages in iCloud on macOS. That would cause a lot of confusion among everyday users and I don't think Apple would risk that just to keep Macs under wraps.

But who knows...

Apple probably found a substantial bug and decided to stall the release.

 

[viperGTS]

Apple probably found a substantial bug and decided to stall the release.

This is probably the most logical reason. I really need to upgrade to HS ASAP, but I don't want to upgrade now only to see that 10.13.5 comes out hours later...

 

[KoolAid-Drink]

Apple already has public documentation on how to use Messages in iCloud on macOS.

Link, please?

Also, it would be nice if Apple provided at least a small point update to 10.13.4 in the interim, to at least provide support for Messages in iCloud, because all the other OSes has that support now. Really silly and sloppy, IMHO.

 

[MacBird]

Build is 17G31f

 

[viperGTS]

Link, please?

Also, it would be nice if Apple provided at least a small point update to 10.13.4 in the interim, to at least provide support for Messages in iCloud, because all the other OSes has that support now. Really silly and sloppy, IMHO.

According to another user, the documentation is here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208532

However, I see no reference to the Mac. Strange...

 

[nutmac]

Not sure what the hold up is on 10.13.5. Rumors are swirling they are holding it untill wwdc because it contains support for new hardware that will be announced on Monday. With that said, it's strange nobody has picked up new hardware references in the beta build so it's anybody's guess...

You might be right but Apple is known to use a special build for new Macs. And while I would love to believe that new Macs will have new features (e.g., MacBook Pro gets T3 processor and FaceID), I suspect the update will be mostly spec bump with possibility of redesigned keyboard. And as Mark Gurman speculated, it seems less likely that we will get a new Mac next week.

My personal theory for the delay is to patch Intel's Variant 4 security issue.

 

[Mr$tone]

According to another user, the documentation is here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208532

However, I see no reference to the Mac. Strange...

I can confirm that the documentation on this link has been changed today by Apple. I looked at it yesterday and it then had instructions for macOS as well.

There’s something strange going on.

Could it be that Apple—in last minute—decided that the different settings between iOS and macOS for Messages in iCloud is confusing and needs to be changed in macOS before it can be released?

The confusion between the settings were obvoius in yesteday’s documentation and people might by default go the the iCloud settings in macOS to try to enable Messages in iCloud from there—just to find out that the settings are elsewhere.

 

[viperGTS]

I can confirm that the documentation on this link has been changed today by Apple. I looked at it yesterday and it then had instructions for macOS as well.

There’s something strange going on.

Could it be that Apple—in last minute—decided that the different settings between iOS and macOS for Messages in iCloud is confusing and needs to be changed in macOS before it can be released?

The confusion between the settings were obvoius in yesteday’s documentation and people might by default go the the iCloud settings in macOS to try to enable Messages in iCloud from there—just to find out that the settings are elsewhere.

Thank you for the confirmation.

There is definitely something weird going on. Whatever it is, it's hopefully not too serious and allows for 10.13.5 to be released sooner rather than later. But time will tell.

 

[mar12]

I can confirm that the documentation on this link has been changed today by Apple. I looked at it yesterday and it then had instructions for macOS as well.

There’s something strange going on.

Could it be that Apple—in last minute—decided that the different settings between iOS and macOS for Messages in iCloud is confusing and needs to be changed in macOS before it can be released?

The confusion between the settings were obvoius in yesteday’s documentation and people might by default go the the iCloud settings in macOS to try to enable Messages in iCloud from there—just to find out that the settings are elsewhere.

Cached copy of the site with the macOS documentation

https://web.archive.org/web/20180531013209/https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208532

Just wondering, there's no reference/option for Messages in the iCloud settings of macOS 10.13.5 beta? Or was it just not shown in the documentation. If so, that is pretty strange.

 

[ignatius345]

Cached copy of the site with the macOS documentation

https://web.archive.org/web/20180531013209/https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208532

Just wondering, there's no reference/option for Messages in the iCloud settings of macOS 10.13.5 beta? Or was it just not shown in the documentation. If so, that is pretty strange.

I'd guess there's some challenging back-end stuff involved in Messages in the Cloud, given that it also got postponed for quite a while on the iOS side as well. I would imagine that its release would have a pretty big potential impact on iCloud infrastructure, with millions of users potentially uploading (possibly) upward of a few GB each in iMessage attachments.

Just anecdotally, I've got several years' worth of accumulated iMessages on my primary Mac, and it's going to be a very substantial sync process when it happens and my archive gets merged with what's been uploaded from my phone. I have to imagine there are others like me out there.

 

[alllexx]

I can confirm that the documentation on this link has been changed today by Apple. I looked at it yesterday and it then had instructions for macOS as well.

There’s something strange going on.

Could it be that Apple—in last minute—decided that the different settings between iOS and macOS for Messages in iCloud is confusing and needs to be changed in macOS before it can be released?

The confusion between the settings were obvoius in yesteday’s documentation and people might by default go the the iCloud settings in macOS to try to enable Messages in iCloud from there—just to find out that the settings are elsewhere.

This person is correct https://web.archive.org/web/20180531013209/https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208532
[doublepost=1527793660][/doublepost]

Cached copy of the site with the macOS documentation

https://web.archive.org/web/20180531013209/https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208532

Just wondering, there's no reference/option for Messages in the iCloud settings of macOS 10.13.5 beta? Or was it just not shown in the documentation. If so, that is pretty strange.

Whoops, you beat me to it!
[doublepost=1527793699][/doublepost]

I'd guess there's some challenging back-end stuff involved in Messages in the Cloud, given that it also got postponed for quite a while on the iOS side as well. I would imagine that its release would have a pretty big potential impact on iCloud infrastructure, with millions of users potentially uploading (possibly) upward of a few GB each in iMessage attachments.

Just anecdotally, I've got several years' worth of accumulated iMessages on my primary Mac, and it's going to be a very substantial sync process when it happens and my archive gets merged with what's been uploaded from my phone. I have to imagine there are others like me out there.

I’m in the same boat.

 

[HailstormX]

I was really hoping to get that update this week. Its quite a production to get that many updates out the same day.

 

[benji888]

Cached copy of the site with the macOS documentation

https://web.archive.org/web/20180531013209/https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208532

Just wondering, there's no reference/option for Messages in the iCloud settings of macOS 10.13.5 beta? Or was it just not shown in the documentation. If so, that is pretty strange.

Whoa, that's from Tuesday, updated Wednesday to remove references to macOS!

Looks like macOS update delayed due to bug?

I don't think they will put it in iCloud in settings app, it's a part of the Messages app, which is optional on Mac...not everyone uses it. So, I think it makes sense to put the setting in Messages app preferences.

 

[archvile]

Not sure what the hold up is on 10.13.5. Rumors are swirling they are holding it untill wwdc because it contains support for new hardware that will be announced on Monday. With that said, it's strange nobody has picked up new hardware references in the beta build so it's anybody's guess...

Wouldn’t that “support for new hardware” also be in 10.13.6? Which is in public beta now?

 

[benji888]

hmmm, you may be correct there, it may actually be delayed due to a bug or:

I'd guess there's some challenging back-end stuff involved in Messages in the Cloud, given that it also got postponed for quite a while on the iOS side as well. I would imagine that its release would have a pretty big potential impact on iCloud infrastructure, with millions of users potentially uploading (possibly) upward of a few GB each in iMessage attachments.

[doublepost=1527794996][/doublepost]

Cached copy of the site with the macOS documentation

https://web.archive.org/web/20180531013209/https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208532

Just wondering, there's no reference/option for Messages in the iCloud settings of macOS 10.13.5 beta? Or was it just not shown in the documentation. If so, that is pretty strange.

So, with this change in apple support documentation, I would guess 10.13.5 is delayed, I don't expect it this week at all, even though they have done some Friday OS releases, not looking for it.