Right on schedule. This is likely your GM folks (minus the "a').
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We will most likely get the GM next week after the event finishes. I’m still holding to my theory that the Watches (and new iPads) will be available on Sept 25, and iPhone 12 on Oct 2. Pro models (maybe only iPhone 12 Pro Max?) will be later in Oct.
At the earliest, when the GM gets released. At the latest, when the Public Release of iOS 14 happens.
If anything, last year is actually a good example, due to the fact that the phones are coming later than usual, but the Watches and iPads are coming sooner.
Yea, I'm thinking same. We will see what happens at the event!
This is not the GM. Just because it’s an “a” build (18A5373a) doesn’t mean it’ll be the GM. I’m sure beta 8 still has all of the logging and stuff enabled for beta builds. We’ll get a new large/full size download of the GM when it’s released that won’t have all of that logging included.
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They need quite a bit of time to get the OS installed on all the iPad and Watches. From what I remember in the new devices thread last year, most of them had the OS installed 3 weeks before the device was delivered. Also bear in mind that the factories are not going to be running at full tilt like last few years due to the impact of COVID.
I am sure they meant the build that will be the GM. I know I took it to mean that from them.
Again, just because they're announcing a new watch doesn't mean they need to have the software out and available that same day. They can announce a S6 Apple Watch on the 15th and have it ready by the 25th, implying any potential bug fixes in place have been decided internally with today's build (which was probably compiled a week or two ago, maybe more). The build WE get will still have all of the "beta features" like logging and caching and stuff. They could have enough confidence in today's release that they've sent today's build out for packaging. They could also still have watchOS 7.0.1 ready to go when you open it out of the box.. Who knows.
Exactly. Obviously it’s not the actual GM, since it has a letter (“a”) after the build, which indicates that it’s still considered a beta internally. But Apple will likely just drop the “a” after the build, and push this out as the GM (and therefore final release that the public will see) after next Tuesday’s event, meaning this version of iOS 14 is the same that the GM will be (minus the logging tools, etc.). Apple could release a GM that’s a few builds ahead of Beta 8, but given that’s not even 6 days away, and this was an “a” build, I’m doubtful it’ll be different. They’ve likely already started on iOS 14.0.1 and 14.1.0.
And that's the important part. Some of the logging/caching can slow things down or give you that large "other" space in storage (which is not a bug). The difference between today's beta 8 release and a release that actually says either "iOS 14" or "iOS 14 GM" is fairly large still, IMO. I was going to restore from a backup, but not from today's build. I'll wait until the GM is actually official, not "official"...
I never said they have to have the software out the date of announcement, you are though, as you keep saying that they're going to release the GM next week, which is when the announcement is.
I'm saying that due to today's beta release, we won't see GM until 22nd/23rd, with public release on 30th, and new Watches & iPads on the 2nd. They need a fair bit of time to get the GM candidate installed on them (which this build is extremely likely to be), usually about 3-4 weeks, so they probably starting it this week (as it's unlikely they would have done it before we got last week's build).
I’m not saying the software will be out the date of the announcement, either. A GM release is the release candidate of what will be in the public’s hands. Not that the GM will be released to the public. So, yeah. A GM release next week. I’m sticking to that.
Yes, there are additional SW components as part of Beta 8 compared to the GM that would take up storage space. But in terms of the actual software or bugs, there will be no difference between Beta 8 and the GM, unless Apple releases a new build, which is incredibly unlikely at this stage for the reasons listed above.
I didn't realize people still restore from an IPSW. I've use the same iCloud backup and restored from that backup for as long as I can remember and have no performance issues, storage issues, or other OS issues. To each their own though!
iCloud backups/restores have been very reliable for me, but I work for a very very large hospital system in the Midwest and find that having the actual file is faster than downloading on hospital WiFi lol
Apple has never gone from last beta build to GM in 6 days. Their SOP is minimum of 12 days.
I think that the new devices announced will be release don the 2nd October, not 25th September. Wouldn't be the first time devices came out 2 weeks after an event, and if this event is Watches & iPads only, then they will be doing an iPhone & Apple Silicon Mac event next month, so they would want to space them out a bit.
Therefore, I think we get GM w/c 21/09/20, with public release 30/09/20.
This implies that today’s build would be available to Apple today just as it is for us, when in fact Apple is many releases ahead of whatever is released in beta to us. Apple probably had the build we got today finished a couple weeks ago, giving them ample time to get it out into packaging.
You're forgetting the Beta 8 we're receiving was internally finalized about a week ago (maybe even longer), and that Beta 8 likely is the same build as the GM. That means the countdown for the last beta could really have started with Beta 7. There will have been more than 12 days from when Apple internally finalized Beta 7 to when they internally finalized the GM.
Apple has delayed the release of hardware from the Fall product announcement by more than 2 weeks once in the last 9 years. There is no incentive to delay the release of hardware if it's ready to ship. The ready to ship date is what drives the announcement date, and sales are what drive Apple's bottom line, so they aren't going to stall the delivery of new hardware for an extra week of beta testing a relatively stable "a" build of iOS. Does this mean we'll get all the new hardware by 9/25? Probably not. But there will be some hardware, and that requires iOS 14 to be released to the public within the next ~2 weeks from today.
Very much doubt that we won't get new hardware being delivered on the week of the 25th considering there are basically no series 5 available from Apple direct. If phones are delayed till October they won't want to not be selling new watches and/or iPad's at the same time.