Apple today released an update to its OS X operating system which powers its desktop and notebook computers. Version 10.8.3 is now available for download via the Mac App Store for all users of Macs running OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion or later.
The update, which has seen various beta releases over the past months, and by various, we mean a lot, brings with it a slew of new features and, perhaps more importantly, fixes to existing issues, making the overall user experience more worthwhile. Some of those issues may seem rather minor, whilst others are biggies, especially if they happened to affect you!
Perhaps the most interesting change, or at least the most fun to demo, is the ability to scan iTunes gift cards using a Mac’s built-in camera. It may not seem like much, but it’s certainly more convenient than having to enter those long codes every time you want to redeem a gift card! Admit it, we’ve been through it, but thanks to Apple, life is much more easier now.
Boot Camp is the beneficiary of some new features also, and if you’ve been wanting to install Windows 8 then you’re now in luck. Boot Camp now supports Microsoft’s latest operating system, though you won’t be able to swipe at your Mac’s screen just yet! Support for 3TB drives is also added, whereas users previously had to use workarounds in order to make Boot Camp play nicely with drives so large. 2.2TB was previously the upper limit for Boot Camp to play nicely.
Fix-wise, Apple have stopped certain file URLs from causing crashes, and an issue which caused Logic Pro to become unresponsive has also been quashed according to the release notes. Audio stutter on 2012 iMacs is also supposedly fixed, though we’ve not been able to test this ourselves.
Apple’s updates are often more about fixing bugs than adding new features, and unless you happen to be a stickler for Boot Camp then this release is no different. We’d obviously recommend updating at the earliest opportunity however, just in case there are some security fixes that are not mentioned in the release log.
But enough of the updates. We’re more than ready for OS X 10.9 now, Apple! Let’s be having it!
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