macOS Sonoma 14.2 is a substantial update, with extensive fixes to bugs and enhancements to apps and services. It’s also the first universal version of macOS since the release of the M3 Macs a month ago, in that one version and build now runs on all Macs supported by Sonoma, whether they are Intel or Apple silicon models, including those with M3 chips. This should enable any Apple silicon Mac to start up from a bootable external disk with 14.2 installed on it.

There are firmware updates at least for Intel Macs with T2 chips, which go to version 2020.61.1.0.0 (iBridge: 21.16.2057.0.0,0), and Apple silicon Macs, with iBoot of 10151.61.4. There may also be firmware updates for older models; I’ll check those over the coming few days before updating the information used by SilentKnight.

Security release notes list 21 fixes, including one kernel bug, and two in WebKit. None of the vulnerabilities fixed is reported to have been exploited yet.

Apple has provided a detailed list of many of the improvements. These include:

• Enhanced PDF AutoFill.
• Messages introduces Contact Key Verification to ensure messaging with only those intended, also stickers and catch-up arrows.
• Weather sees several enhancements in information on precipitation, wind, and new widgets.
• Clock has multiple named timers with presets, and Recents.
• Apple Music has an enhanced Favourites Songs Playlist, and Focus disabling Listening History.
• Shazam Music Recognition is available even when wearing AirPods.
• Additional Sámi keyboard layouts.

Of those, Contact Key Verification in Messages appears one of the most significant, particularly for those who are at risk of being sent malicious messages.

Looking through the bundled apps, the following changes appear most significant:

• App Store, build increment
• Books, to version 6.2
• Clock, to version 1.1
• Find My, build increment
• Freeform, to version 2.2
• Home, build increment
• Mail, build increment
• Maps, build increment
• Messages, build increment
• Music, to version 1.4.2
• News, to version 9.2
• Photos, build increment
• QuickTime Player, build increment
• Safari to version 17.2 (19617.1.17.11.9)
• Shortcuts, build increment
• Stocks, to version 6.2
• TV, to version 1.4.2
• Weather, to version 4.2.

Significant changes seen in the System/Library folder include:

• Automator PDF Actions
• CoreServices/MusicRecognitionMac.app 1.0, new app (‘Shazam’)
• CoreServices/Paired Devices, to version 5.2.1
• CoreServices/Pro Display Calibrator, to version 2.0.2
• Added kernel extensions to support M3 models
• AMDRadeon kernel extensions, new versions
• APFS is updated to version 2235.60.6
• SMB is updated to version 5.1
• Many frameworks are updated, and ManagedAppDistribution and ManagedAppDistribution_SwiftUI have been added from Private Frameworks
• Many private frameworks have been updated, and new frameworks added include DMCApps, DeepThought, lighthouse_runtime and MessagesSettingsUI.

DeepThought is of course a reference to Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and surely must involve AI?

In the next day or two, I will be looking at whether 14.2 also fixes some of the more serious bugs, including Finder memory leaks, and inability to change password for encrypted sparse bundles.