Apple today released the second beta of macOS Ventura 13.4 to its public beta testing group, allowing the general public to try out the software ahead of its official launch. The second macOS Ventura 13.4 public beta comes a week after Apple seeded the first public beta.
Public beta testers can download the macOS 13.3 Ventura update from the Software Update section of the System Preferences app after installing the proper profile from Apple's beta software website.
The latest macOS Ventura 13.4 beta adds a new beta installation method where developers and public beta testers can opt-in to receive beta updates without the need for a profile to be installed. For developers, an Apple ID needs to be associated with a developer account to get access to a developer beta, while public beta testers need to sign up on Apple's public beta website with their Apple ID and then elect to receive beta updates using the System Settings app.
Work on macOS Ventura is winding down as Apple prepares to shift its focus to macOS 14, the as-of-yet-unnamed next-generation version of macOS that we expect to see introduced this June at WWDC.
Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon.
In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.
In his Powe...
Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models.
"All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
"Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today.
"I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 8:55 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching.
In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...
Personally I prefer a solid bug-free new OS every two or three years, I don't need a yearly upgrade. Although I have a fast computer (Mac Studio) and Ventura 13.3.1 I see too often beachballs.
* Apple Studio Display firmware update starts showing progress but never completes. (107287354) Workaround: To install other updates including future macOS Beta Updates, click “More info…” in Software Update Settings, uncheck Apple Studio Display firmware update, and click “Install Now.”
* Fixes a regression in macOS Ventura 13.3 where a security check causes bookmark resolution to fail when the path contains Unicode characters stored with composed normalization. As an example, this prevented files in Finder from opening when double-clicked. (107550080)
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MacOS 13.4 beta 2
* Safari Version 16.5 (18615.2.5.11.2) * System Firmware Version: 8422.120.55 (M1 based Macs) * Darwin Kernel Version 22.5.0: Sun Apr 2 19:24:16 PDT 2023; root:xnu-8796.120.31~10/RELEASE_ARM64_T8103 arm64
MacOS 13.4 beta 1
* Safari Version 16.5 (18615.2.1) * System Firmware Version: 8422.120.33 (M1 based Macs) * Darwin Kernel Version 22.5.0: Fri Mar 17 14:38:40 PDT 2023; root:xnu-8796.120.16~15/RELEASE_ARM64_T8103 arm64