Apple Releases Updates: 10.5.3, iPhone SDK Beta 6, and More

Today, Apple released its long-awaited 10.5.3 update to their Leopard operating system. Weighing in a 420MB, this update includes fixes for .Mac, Address Book, AirPort, Automator, iCal, iChat, Back To My Mac, Mail, Time Machine, Time Capsole, and many more. Updates to Logic Express and RAW compatibility for iPhoto ’08 and Aperture 2 were pushed as well to the appropriate users.

I ran the update on my MacBook, and had to reboot twice. I was fortunate enough not to have any nagging issues from 10.5.2, so I can’t personally comment on fixed bugs, but I haven’t run into any compatibility issues. Some users are reporting issues with SIMBL plug-ins (as with some previous updates), but there is a fix for the problem. If (and only if) you own an iPhone or an iPod touch, a new feature in Address Book allows you to sync Gmail contacts with your iPhone, as it already does with .Mac and Yahoo! contacts.

The company also released a new version of the iPhone SDK, but no information partarning to the update was included. Presumably, this will be the last verison of the "beta" iPhone SDK before Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC), beginning June 9. The new SDK is tied to 10.5.3, so there is likely some code linking the two, which could be a technical reason or a clue to a new feature that has yet to be announced.

Apple released the Mac OS X 10.5.3 update today. The latest update to Leopard should appear in your Mac OS X Software Update.

The 10.5.3 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac.

Besides releasing Mac OS X 10.5.3 today, Apple also released a new version of the iPhone SDK (Beta 6). No details have been posted. Apple should be wrapping up development of the iPhone SDK which is expected to be complete by late June. Apple will be covering many aspects of the iPhone SDK during their Worldwide Development Conference which starts on June 9th.