M4 MacBook macOS 15.1 asks to update to 15.1

[leyonz]

Hi guys, just got a MacBook Pro M4 Pro that came with Sequoia 15.1 (24B2082) preinstalled. Yet System Settings > Software Updates says that there is one update available, labeled as "macOS Sequoia 15.1". Description states that the only feature/bug correction of this update is the ability to download and install games and apps automatically to an external hard drive, nothing more, and although it doesn´t mention any security update, it still indicates that I can get more info about the included security updates at support.apple.com/100100 etc.

Someone who also got an M4 Mac these days has been offered this update too? Obviously I ask because I am already at 15.1, and find it weird to be asked to install 15.1 again, although doesn´t seem to be the common 15.1 update everyone else has judging by the bug fixes/features list in the update description. Also, this update is only 745MB, not the +GB usual update size.

I ask because I don´t know if this expected behavior or is a bug or something else, therefore I haven´t installed it yet. Thanks in advance!

 

[gilby101]

Sequoia 15.1 (24B2082)

Is a special build with support for M4 Macs which was provided to manufacturing before the official 15.1 was released. This allowed your new Mac to boot to macOS. In the meantime, 15.1 (24B83) has been released. So system update offers you the newer version of 15.1. Think of build 24B2028 as a late beta (or release candidate) of 15.1 - you are now being offered the full release.

This (or something similar) is normal for new models.

You don't have to install the newer 15.1 if you don't want, but it may be lacking in some bug fixes and features. Just install it.

 

[doogm]

Yes, this was reported last week. See https://www.macrumors.com/2024/10/30/m4-macs-day-one-apple-intelligence-update/

 

[leyonz]

Is a special build with support for M4 Macs which was provided to manufacturing before the official 15.1 was released. This allowed your new Mac to boot to macOS. In the meantime, 15.1 (24B83) has been released. So system update offers you the newer version of 15.1. Think of build 24B2028 as a late beta (or release candidate) of 15.1 - you are now being offered the full release.

This (or something similar) is normal for new models.

You don't have to install the newer 15.1 if you don't want, but it may be lacking in some bug fixes and features. Just install it.

Thanks very much for the clearance @gilby101, this is what I suspected based on the info I found in several webs about macOS different version codenames. Apple could have just named it 15.1.1 or something else, or just have left preinstalled the 15.0 version as the leaked M4 base models. Or, put in the description that its a suplementary update for M4 Macs to avoid confusion. Understandably, the last thing I want is to mess the OS with faulty updates in a brand new machine (yes, I am looking at you Microsoft).

Frankly, I would rather skip installing it and wait till 15.1.1 or whatever else comes next, but the vague security update mention in the "to get more info about this security update go to support.apple.com/100100 blablabla" is what makes me doubt, although in the description of the update itself doesn´t say that there is any security update at all (I would put a screenshot but my OS is in Spanish). Usually when there is any security fix the update description says something like "this update includes several important security fixes".

 

[leyonz]

Yes, this was reported last week. See https://www.macrumors.com/2024/10/30/m4-macs-day-one-apple-intelligence-update/

Hi @doogm, thanks very much for the reply but that´s not what the article says. The report (yeah I read it when it was published) explains that the computers would come with 15.0 so it would make perfect sense to need to update to 15.1, but we are talking about a 15.1 macOS that asks to update to 15.1, which frankly sounds a little buggy without further explanation. Also, the preinstalled 15.1 that comes in my Mac already has Apple Intelligence, and that´s contrary to what is explained in the article.

Just wanted to know if other owners of brand new M4 Macs (may it be MacBooks, iMacs or Mac minis) have had this same behavior.

 

[Broken Hope]

It’s just a newer build, just install it, did the same on my M4 Pro Mini, really doesn’t take this much thought.

 

[doogm]

Hi @doogm, thanks very much for the reply but that´s not what the article says. The report (yeah I read it when it was published) explains that the computers would come with 15.0 so it would make perfect sense to need to update to 15.1, but we are talking about a 15.1 macOS that asks to update to 15.1, which frankly sounds a little buggy without further explanation. Also, the preinstalled 15.1 that comes in my Mac already has Apple Intelligence, and that´s contrary to what is explained in the article.

Just wanted to know if other owners of brand new M4 Macs (may it be MacBooks, iMacs or Mac minis) have had this same behavior.

Well, the article really says that people who buy the new M4 Macs will need to apply an update to the machine on the day that they receive it. It had that small detail wrong.

The build number of the update matches what I have installed on my M2 MBA; the build number of the the shopped release obviously does not.