Apple today released a public version of OS X 10.11.2, which has in been in beta for the last seven weeks. The release marks the second update to El Capitan since its release at the very end of September, and largely corrects flaws in the reliability of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Mail (with regards to Exchange accounts), transferring photos to a Mac using USB, and iCloud Photo Sharing for Live Photos. There are also many smaller tweaks to performance, stability, and general bug-squashing in the new update.
The update is or will soon appear in Software Update for users currently running earlier versions of OS X 10.11 El Capitan, as Apple tends to stagger availability to avoid bandwidth shortages for users. While the 10.11.2 release does offer some visible-but-minor changes to many built-in programs — such as allowing more extensions to be available inside third-party in-app browsers, or the addition of AT&T’s “NumberSync” technology — the release is focused on “improving the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac,” according to the company’s release notes.
It is expected that the first beta of 10.11.3 will appear in the next week or so, as is normal for the OS update cycle. Developers are likely to get their first look at OS X 10.12 at the Worldwide Developers Conference, expected to be held in June, with a public release expected next fall. In the meantime, the company will continue to work on updates for El Capitan and its other OS releases, such as today’s updates to iOS 9 and tvOS.
Some OS X releases, such as Snow Leopard (10.6) had as many as eight updates before the end of its cycle, though modern releases such as Yosemite generally see five updates before being replaced, as the company generally shoots for once-a-year major releases. Apple posted five versions of the 10.11.2 release to developer and public testers, but it is as yet unclear if the release resolves a few remaining user issues, like inconsistent performance of the VIP smart mailbox in Mail.
