Apple Seeds Second Public Beta of macOS Monterey With Universal Control

[MacRumors]

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming macOS Monterey 12.3 update to its public beta testing group, with the new software coming a week after the first macOS Monterey 12.3 public beta.

Public beta testers can download the macOS 12.3 Monterey update from the Software Update section of the System Preferences app after installing the proper profile from Apple's beta software website.

Universal Control is the major new feature in macOS Monterey 12.3, and it is designed to allow multiple Macs and iPads to be controlled using a single mouse/trackpad and keyboard. If you have a MacBook Pro and an iPad Pro, for example, both devices can be controlled with the MacBook Pro's trackpad and keyboard or a keyboard attached to the iPad.

iPadOS 15.4 is required for Universal Control on the iPad, and once the updates are installed on your devices, the feature just works as it is automatically enabled.

macOS Monterey also includes new Emoji 14 characters like melting face, biting lip, heart hands, and more, and plus it adds support for updating AirPods with a Mac. There's no official update interface, but your AirPods can receive firmware updates over-the-air when connected to a Mac, similar to how the update process works with an iPhone.

There are some under-the-hood changes as well. Apple is removing Python 2 from macOS with macOS 12.3 after support was suspended in January 2020, and Apple is eliminating some kernel extensions used by Dropbox and OneDrive, necessitating software updates for those apps.

Article Link: Apple Seeds Second Public Beta of macOS Monterey With Universal Control

 

[Realityck]

Some issues were fixed in this second beta. The Javascript issue with Safari 15.4 and speedtest.net was fixed. That warning about Catalina users upgrading to this beta was fixed. Yesterday it took a second install for this to complete the installation. Not sure it was attributed to server issue or something else. Like to know if it installs in the first pass?

macOS 12.3 beta 2 (21E5206e)

 

[macar00n]

Are the massive bugs fixed? Forget the features for five seconds Apple - first and foremost, is it stable?

 

[Realityck]

Are the massive bugs fixed? Forget the features for five seconds Apple - first and foremost, is it stable?

It has been for me running M1/M1 Max based Macs, its working better then the first beta after installed.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Hopefully it will release by the time my M1 MBP arrives.

 

[Isengardtom]

My new M1 iMac arrives Friday so will be nice to test this alongside my iPad Pro

 

[nwcs]

Are the massive bugs fixed? Forget the features for five seconds Apple - first and foremost, is it stable?

Can you iterate what these massive bugs are succinctly for those of us who don't seem to experience them?

 

[Realityck]

My new M1 iMac arrives Friday so will be nice to test this alongside my iPad Pro

Should work fine, I am using a 24" M1 iMac and a 16" M1 Max MBP .

 

[jaspervic]

Does it fix the issue where Thunderbolt displays (LG 34WK95U-W in particular) no longer work with my M1 MacBook Pro?! It updated the firmware so it's broken even after booting back into 12.2. I unfortunately do not have another M1 to roll back the firmware (down from 7459.100.487.115.1 in the first 12.3 beta).

 

[Realityck]

Does it fix the issue where Thunderbolt displays (LG 34WK95U-W in particular) no longer work with my M1 MacBook Pro?! It updated the firmware so it's broken even after booting back into 12.2. I unfortunately do not have another M1 to roll back the firmware (down from 7459.100.487.115.1 in the first 12.3 beta).

I don't have one, but see they have users thread. Does it work via Display Port 1.4 instead of using the TB port with your M1 MBP?

LG 34WK95U Ultrawide 5K Owners Thread - Your settings

Hello, I want to know what picture settings you use on your LG 34WK95U 5K Display. What settings do you have? I use the monitor mainly for content creation so I need accurate colors: Auto Brightness: On Contrast: 70 Sharpness: 50 Super Resolution+: Off DFC: Off Uniformity: Off Gamma Mode...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[brilliantthings]

Does it fix the issue where Thunderbolt displays (LG 34WK95U-W in particular) no longer work with my M1 MacBook Pro?! It updated the firmware so it's broken even after booting back into 12.2. I unfortunately do not have another M1 to roll back the firmware (down from 7459.100.487.115.1 in the first 12.3 beta).

Is this an OS issue or a monitor firmware issue?

 

[CMMChris]

@Realityck Funny, B1 has been more stable for me on M1 Max. B2 has some GPU issues. Driver is crashing frequently when GPU is under load.

@jaspervic You can use any other Mac or even a Linux machine (iDeviceRestore) to flash a previous IPSW.

 

[macar00n]

It has been for me running M1/M1 Max based Macs, its working better then the first beta after installed.

All I want is for the use of an external monitor to not kernel panic my maxed out M1 Max MBP when waking up from sleep. I've long since given up on my dock not kernel panicking it. To be fair a poster here told me that an OS wipe would fix it but I haven't had the downtime. I'm using it with the OS it shipped with (Monterey) and praying with each update that it actually works. I have other stability complaints but this one is by far the worst.

 

[macar00n]

Can you iterate what these massive bugs are succinctly for those of us who don't seem to experience them?

Kernel panicking when connected to my one external display when waking up from sleep. A dock does it too so I removed that from my setup to reduce complexity. To trick my machine into not KPing on wake, I have to open the lid - if I wake it by keyboard, it KPs maybe a third of the time, wiping out what I'm doing on both my personal and work user accounts. Ultra annoying coming from Macs that could have months of sequential uptime. This bug was covered in MacRumors review video and in my research I've found that it has been around since the first M1 Macs in early 2021 with no resolution since.

The Bluetooth battery drain while asleep is massive.

A minor one that I hate so much is that my FN button, improved in Monterey to be able to pull up emoji menu, stopped doing it in 12.2. Just absolute amateur hour with Monterey. It's like they don't test at all anymore. Just tout and deliver crappy new features

 

[Realityck]

@Realityck Funny, B1 has been more stable for me on M1 Max. B2 has some GPU issues. Driver is crashing frequently when GPU is under load.

@jaspervic You can use any other Mac or even a Linux machine (iDeviceRestore) to flash a previous IPSW.

Guess you didn't try running that speedtest.net that used most of the 32 GB with some javascript error on the first beta Safari that I posted about. First time I ever seen my 16GB 24" iMac go into swap since I bought it.

 

[nwcs]

Kernel panicking when connected to my one external display when waking up from sleep. A dock does it too so I removed that from my setup to reduce complexity. To trick my machine into not KPing on wake, I have to open the lid - if I wake it by keyboard, it KPs maybe a third of the time, wiping out what I'm doing on both my personal and work user accounts. Ultra annoying coming from Macs that could have months of sequential uptime. This bug was covered in MacRumors review video and in my research I've found that it has been around since the first M1 Macs in early 2021 with no resolution since.

The Bluetooth battery drain while asleep is massive.

A minor one that I hate so much is that my FN button, improved in Monterey to be able to pull up emoji menu, stopped doing it in 12.2. Just absolute amateur hour with Monterey. It's like they don't test at all anymore. Just tout and deliver crappy new features

Just from a MBP? My primary Mac is a M1 Mac mini so obviously with an external display. I haven't seen any kernel panics when awaking from sleep. Perhaps there are other things at play? With my M1 MBP 13 I haven't noticed a bluetooth power drain although admittedly I don't use much bluetooth. Maybe I'll give it a test and see what happens?

I'm on 12.2 right now with my MBP and the Touch Bar at least pulls up the emoji bar fine. Although I have to say it's the first time I've ever pressed that button. Just pressed the globe button to pull it up and it works fine, too.

 

[Realityck]

The Bluetooth battery drain while asleep is massive.

Is that still a issue on beta 2?

 

[macar00n]

Just from a MBP? My primary Mac is a M1 Mac mini so obviously with an external display. I haven't seen any kernel panics when awaking from sleep. Perhaps there are other things at play? With my M1 MBP 13 I haven't noticed a bluetooth power drain although admittedly I don't use much bluetooth. Maybe I'll give it a test and see what happens?

I'm on 12.2 right now with my MBP and the Touch Bar at least pulls up the emoji bar fine. Although I have to say it's the first time I've ever pressed that button. Just pressed the globe button to pull it up and it works fine, too.

You're probably right, other things at play. But Apple won't fix them. In the MacRumors review, the reviewer is using the MBP connected directly to an XDR display. Almost $10k worth of Apple tech - all first party. Still has the KP issue. My monitor is a Samsung and Apple's support, after I specifically cited the MacRumors video where a user with all first party equipment in a very simple configuration is having the same problem, told me it was Samsung's fault and they're confident that Samsung support can help me work through why my Mac is kernel panicking upon wake when plugged into an external monitor (L M A O - won't even bother calling).

My globe button on the built-in keyboard works fine, but on my external keyboard the FN button stopped pulling it up. I thought maybe I needed to just buy the TouchID keyboard for $150 to get emojis to work with one button press because it has the printed globe, but another user said that didn't fix it.

 

[macar00n]

Is that still a issue on beta 2?

I hope not. The idea is for each actual beta to fix more bugs instead of creating new ones, in this dumpster fire production OS that feels like a beta.

 

[macar00n]

Is this an OS issue or a monitor firmware issue?

Leave it to Apple to create the best hardware in the world running an OS that you have to extensively troubleshoot to possibly be able to use it with an external monitor. So dissapointed in one of my favorite brands right now. This OS is a joke. Start over

 

[BWhaler]

I’m really looking forward to this release. Hope Apple takes their time and stomps out of excessive Monterey bugs.

 

[jaspervic]

@jaspervic You can use any other Mac or even a Linux machine (iDeviceRestore) to flash a previous IPSW.

My problem was that I was using an LG USB-C cable that is actually showing up as a ThunderBolt cable, so DFU wasn't appearing.

Is this an OS issue or a monitor firmware issue?

Good question. Could be monitor firmware issue too, but reviving firmware 7429.81.3 from 12.2 fixed the issue, so I'm sticking to that option for now.

Moral of the story is that even if Apple says you can dual boot the beta on a separate APFS volume, there may be side effects like this one due to beta firmware

I don't have one, but see they have users thread. Does it work via Display Port 1.4 instead of using the TB port with your M1 MBP?

LG 34WK95U Ultrawide 5K Owners Thread - Your settings

Hello, I want to know what picture settings you use on your LG 34WK95U 5K Display. What settings do you have? I use the monitor mainly for content creation so I need accurate colors: Auto Brightness: On Contrast: 70 Sharpness: 50 Super Resolution+: Off DFC: Off Uniformity: Off Gamma Mode...

forums.macrumors.com

And yes, I ended up buying a USB-C to DisplayPort cable and it worked perfectly.

 

[yukari]

12.3 beta 1 broke unlocking Mac's with Apple Watch.
12.3 beta 2 restored unlocking with Apple Watch.

 

[jdclifford]

Is that still a issue on beta 2?

I understand B2 fixed it.

 

[dominicperry]

Wake from screen-off (not sleep) was fine with the last beta, now a disaster with 21E5206e.
M1 Max 10/32 64GB/2TB with Samsung C49RG9x (49" 32:9) display in clamshell mode.