Dec 22, 2024 | Updated: 11:35 AM EDT
Feb 21, 2017 05:17 AM EST
Two weeks after Apple rolled out the second develop a beta version of the macOS Sierra, the Cupertino-based tech giant rolled out macOS Sierra 10.12.4 beta, the third version of the OS. The version would bring Night Shift mode to the Mac.
Changes That Come With Software
Besides the Night Shift mode, the macOS Sierra 10.12.4 beta for developers would provide dictation support for Shanghainese, writing and navigating PDFs, system APIs for reading, and performance improvements and bug fixes, AppleInsider reports. This latest macOS test version could be downloaded by users enrolled in the Public Beta Program of Apple from the Updates section of the Mac App Store. Before the wide release of the beta software, people interested in testing it could sign up for the Apple program through the company’s official website.
At present, the early version of the macOS Sierra 10.12.4 beta is only available to public beta testers and developers. After a few days, the public beta version would usually become available several days after the version for the developer. But it could also come on the same day, 9toMac reports.
Changes To Ask Siri
Besides the Night Shift and dictation support, the macOS Sierra 10.12.4 includes changes to Ask Siri on cricket scores, schedules and player rosters. Siri’s replies come from data provided by the Indian Premier League and International Cricket Council. The PDFKit APIs is also updated for better display of PDFs in apps that use the framework.
The Night Shift feature of the macOS Sierra 10.12.4 beta slowly changes the color balance on the device’s display when night comes. It was first introduced by Apple in iOS 9.3 based on the theory that exposure to blue light makes it more difficult for a person to sleep. To improve sleep, the computer shifts from the display’s blue light when the day ends and night falls, Forbes reports.
