Apple has just released the final version of OS X 10.10.3, the latest major update for OS X Yosemite. The update was first available to the public as a beta build back in early March, and it follows a little over three months after OS X 10.10.2. You can view the full release notes on Apple's site here.
The star of this update is the new Photos app, an OS X version of the photo viewing and editing app included with iOS. It primarily functions as a replacement for iPhoto, the basic photo app included with the iLife suite for years before becoming available for free for all new Macs. It also replaces Aperture, Apple's pro photo editing app—though it doesn't actually attempt to replicate Aperture's functionality. Neither iPhoto nor Aperture will receive further updates from Apple after today. Photos will be installed automatically when you update to 10.10.3; it appears to be a core part of OS X rather than an optional Mac App Store download.
We looked at an early Photos beta back in February and came away mostly impressed by its features and speed, at least relative to iPhoto. Those of you with existing iPhoto and Aperture libraries will be able to import them into Photos after you install OS X 10.10.3.
Aside from the Photos app, the new update includes the small feature updates and bug fixes typical of an OS X point update. The biggest extra feature comes in the form of extra emoji—there are entirely new characters, and the emoji picker has been revamped to accommodate more diverse emoji with different skin tones than the heretofore-default caucasian characters. iOS 8.3 includes support for those new emoji, as well.
Another feature that Apple doesn't mention in the consumer release notes are the APIs for the new Force Touch trackpads included in the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro and the new MacBook. While most trackpads actually physically move as you click them, Force Touch trackpads use haptic feedback to simulate a physical click. Pressure sensors built in to the trackpads add a handful of new features that multitouch trackpads don't support: you can 'force click' on things by holding your finger down on the trackpad until you feel a second click. The force-click menu brings up context-sensitive information depending on what you've clicked on, including information from iTunes or Wikipedia and the option to make calendar appointments when you click on times and dates. Video playback in QuickTime can be sped up or slowed down by pressing the forward or reverse buttons with more or less force. Developers can use these APIs to build pressure sensitivity and force click support into their own apps.
The new Apple TV is here to finally put all the rumors to rest. But, with three years since the last version was released, Apple's new box has a lot of catching up to do. Resolutions, apps. Apple’s video production apps — Final Cut Pro X, Motion, and Compressor — got their big annual updates. IOS 8.3 and OS X 10.10.3 shipped with a new Emoji character picker with multiple skin.
AdvertisementThe update fixes a handful of other issues mostly related to Safari and wireless performance. Safari 8.0.5 gets 'stability and security' improvements and will no longer save 'website favicon URLs used in Private Browsing.' Wi-Fi performance has been improved generally 'in various usage scenarios' and specifically when connected to 'captive Wi-Fi network environments,' and a problem that would cause Bluetooth devices to disconnect has been fixed. The reliability of screen sharing has been improved as well, and there are some security-related improvements that should be outlined on Apple's security update support page within the next few hours.
Finally, there are a handful of patches that will be of interest primarily to enterprise customers, listed below:
- Addresses an issue that could cause Macs bound to an Active Directory server to become unresponsive at startup
- Provides the ability to set a umask that's respected by GUI apps
- Fixes an issue installing a configuration profile for 802.1x with EAP-TLS
- Resolves an issue where folders from a DFS share point might 'disappear' when viewed from the Finder on some Macs
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10.10.3 is available through the App Store's software update tab, and it should be included with the Yosemite installer if you've been waiting for this update to make the jump from Mavericks or an earlier version. Combo and delta updaters will be available on Apple's software downloads page if you need them.