OS X 10.7.2 release likely in the next 8 days

Apple has issued yet another developer release of its upcoming OS 10.7.2 update; however, unlike previous versions this latest build has been dubbed "Golden Master," which means that unless any major bugs or flaws are found in this latest bout of testing, then this build will be issued to the public. In addition to today's announcement that iCloud will be available on October 12, the Golden Master release suggests that the OS update will be released within the next eight days.

Because the update is very close at hand, if you are running Lion and are interested in applying the update, be sure your system is prepared to install the update. At the very least use Time Machine or another full-system backup solution to create a restorable and bootable backup of your computer, so in the event of a problem with the update you can revert your system and try again without losing data. In addition, you might try running some general maintenance routines to clear any odd temporary problems or slowdowns your system may be experiencing.

Even though the OS X 10.7.2 update will be out soon, you might consider waiting to install it and allowing others to test it first. Apple has spent a significant amount of time refining this update, implementing new OS features, and addressing problems that cropped up in Lion's initial releases, but even so it may still be wise to avoid jumping right in and updating.

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The biggest change included in this update is the switch to iCloud from MobileMe, so we do expect to see some problems encountered by folks migrating their accounts and using the new services, especially on a large scale. Nevertheless, this should hopefully be limited to an initial break-in period as the servers and services get up to speed with heavier traffic loads.

Generally waiting a week or two to see if significant problems arise for other users is a good idea, but do keep in mind that it is inevitable some people will experience issues with an update. Therefore, do not be swayed by a few postings on the Apple Discussion boards about problems with the update. Given the effort and attention this update has had from Apple, we expect the update should be more stable and bug-free than the initial 10.7 and 10.7.1 releases, so even if you held off from updating to Lion, you might now consider installing it.

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