Apple’s First Beta of OS X Yosemite

Apple’s first public beta of its forthcoming OS X 10.10 software update known as Yosemite will be available for download on July 24th this year for testing in advance of its schedule release till fall. Developers have been speculating with the beta of this software since Apple had announced the operating system at WWDC earlier in June. Users who have signed up for Apple’s public OS X Yosemite beta program, can access the beta without the need of a developer account.

 It works when a user signs up with Apple ID on the beta program website, they in turn receives a mail with a link along with an activation code to download the updated Yosemite build and while developers get updates to their beta versions once in every two weeks, members of public beta will be receiving only a few updates till Yosemite launches it in fall while users’ versions will speed up with the final release version, then. This means that the user will not have to wipe the system and re-install the final release when it will be made available, but will already be in possession of it.

OS X Beta Program at Official Site

Users can take the opportunity to sign up for the OS X Beta Program at its official site, once launched which will enable them to install, test and also provide feedback.

The launch of Yosemite public beta was first announced on Wednesday by Jim Darlymple of the Loop. Users on signing up with their Apple ID will use a redemption code in order to download and install the OS X Yosemite Beta from Mac App Stores and if they tend to encounter any problem, the same can be addressed directly to Apple with the built-in Feedback Assistant application.

Users are also cautioned by Apple that some new features may be unavailable which may include phone calls, SMS, Instant Hotspot, Handoff and iCloud drive while Spotlight suggestions are currently for U.S. only. Some of the services and applications may not be compatible at present with Yosemite.

Focus on Continuity between OS X and iOS

Upgrade may need a Mac running OS X Mavericks that is available at no cost on the Mac App Store and it is recommended by Apple to install the OS X Yosemite Beta on a secondary Mac because the software is in its pre-release testing stage and may have certain issues. The first announcement by Apple regarding its Beta Seed Program was done in April, opening its OS X beta testing process to willing participants of Mac. Users could test pre-release maintenance and security updates to OS X 10.9 Mavericks this year, but the new launch will mark the first time that OS X 10.10 Yosemite would be made available for officially test for non-developers.

Apple now have their focus on continuity between OS X and iOS with its next updates since users will be in a position to hand off content with ease from their iPhone or iPad to their Mac whenever they are within the range. Besides this, user would also be capable of answering and placing calls or responds to text messages via Bluetooth to an iPhone.

Apple’s New Swift Programming Language

As disclosed to analysts, Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive informed that the company’s new Swift programming language would be a huge leap forward for the iOS ecosystem and an excellent contributing means to the company’s new partnership with IBM targeting enterprise app development.

Cook started off his opening remarks stating Apple’s `best ever’ Worldwide Developer Conference had attracted a new record audience of twenty million people across the world watching their keynote, where the company had introduced Swift together with iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite.

With regards to Swift as an innovative programming language for iOS and OS X, Tim Cook noted that Swift was the result of the latest research on programming language accompanied with decades of experience in building Apple platform.

This makes writing code, interactive and fun, eliminating the whole class of unsafe code and generating apps which run lightning fast according to Cook. It makes learning easy, enabling more people to dream big thereby creating whole new categories of app.

 His belief is that with the new OS release and with the combination of Swift, a huge leap forwards for the Apple ecosystem will take place and that they are anxious to see what developers will create with Yosemite iOS 8 together with Swift.

Forged Relationship with IBM

Cook has further described Apple as extending iOS in more directions, outlining the company’s plans for CarPlay which is safe together with intuitive user interface at the time of driving, besides HealthKit integration along with medical providers and fitness sensor makers.

HomeKit as described by Cook is a way to control lights, doors, thermostats together with other connected devices all over the house with the help of Siri.

Cook has further stated that in the enterprise market they have forged a relationship with IBM in delivering new class of mobile business solutions to enterprise customers all across the globe and are striving to provide companies with access to the power of big data analytics on every employee’s iPhone or iPad.

With the use of Swift, Apple will be collaborating in bringing over 100 MobileFirst app to enterprise consumers where each can address a specific industry opportunity or need.

Open Large Market Opportunities 

Cook states that this will open a large market opportunity for Apple and a radical step for enterprise and a great opportunity for productivity and creativity for enterprise customers. He concluded stating `from the pocket, to the car, to the workplace, home and gym, they have a very large vision of what iOS could be and are incredibly excited about their plans.

Apple has paid its App Store developers over $20 billion which is nearly half of what was paid over the last twelve month. Cook added stating that in China, Apple’s iTunes software and services inclusive of the Apple Store has been increasing year after year.

Relating to enterprise app, Cook informed that Apple and IBM both envisage `mobile in enterprise seems to be an enormous opportunity and later responded to queries regarding Apple whether it would continue to take a cut of enterprise app which would be sold through iTunes, to which he stated that there were no plans to change the rules with enterprise.