Getting their ducks all in a row. So, today Apple shipped iOS 8 GM (Gold Master) to “developers” and iTunes 11.4, which brings iOS 8 compatibility, to the public. Does that make sense? Given how many ordinary civilians are “testing” iOS 8, it does.
So, Apple will be shipping iOS 8 on Wednesday, September 17 and that will be quickly followed by the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
• iTunes 11.4 (Download)
— iTunes 11.4 now supports the ability to sync your favorite music, movies, and more to devices with iOS 8.
— Security content in this update
For what it’s worth, OS X Yosemite beta ships with iTunes 12, which in addition to iOS 8 compatibility also brings many user interface changes that are widely considered crap.
iOS 8 GM
iOS 8 will deliver a range of new features, including better OS X integration (aka Continuity), Health app, Fitness app, Family sharing, QuickType keyboard + support for third-party keyboards, new versions of Safari, Mail, Photos, Messages and more.
A week from today, Apple will ship those features and more in the form of iOS 8 to the public. That, of course, assumes that developers and millions of unofficial “testers” don’t uncover serious issues with iOS 8 GM.
What’s golden about this gold master? Fundamentally, Apple thinks iOS 8 is finished and, aside from a few small last minute chances that yet might come, their 2014 mobile operating system update is ready to ship to the world.
Back when software shipped on physical media (ie floppies, CDs and DVDs), gold master was the name engineers used for the copy of operating system or application that would be released to manufacturing (RTM).
So glad physical media is (largely) a thing of the past…
What’s your take?
iOS 8 Ships Wednesday, September 17
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