Apple prepares for Lion with OS X 10.6.8 update

Apple has released the anticipated version 10.6.8 update to OS X Snow Leopard. The key features of this update are that it gets the Mac App Store ready for the upgrade to OS X 10.7 Lion that is slated for release this summer. The update also improves support and addresses bugs with networking and Apple's Preview application. Additionally, it also adds more support for the removal of the recent MacDefender malware and its variants.

The update specifically addresses the following issues:

1. Enhancements to the Mac App Store to get your Mac ready to upgrade to Mac OS X Lion.
2. Resolves an issue that may cause Preview to unexpectedly quit.
3. Improves support for IPv6.
4. Improves VPN reliability.
5. Identifes and removes known variants of MacDefender malware.
6. Corrects timezone data in iCal for Lisbon-Portugal.
7. Adds the ability to use Kerberos authentication to a Web proxy server.
8. Fixes an issue when saving documents from Xcode or TextEdit when using an NFS home directory.
9. Fixes an issue when importing certain media files into Final Cut Pro.
10. Includes RAW image compatibility for additional digital cameras.
11. Addresses an issue in which some OpenType fonts don't display correctly in certain applications.
12. Resolves issues printing from Preview.
13. Addresses an issue with PDF files not opening in third-party PDF viewing applications.
14. Resolves invalid font errors when printing to PostScript printers.

If you plan on applying the latest update either to prepare for OS X Lion or to address the fixed issues (or both), be sure to fully back up your system using Time Machine or a cloning utility before you do. In addition, you might consider reading our guide to preparing for an OS update, to ensure any permissions issues and other problems are properly addressed before installing the update.

The update is available via Software Update, but can also be downloaded and applied from the following locations:

Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo (1.09GB)--For any version of OS X 10.6

Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update (474.2MB)--Requires OS X 10.6.7

Apple has also released a security update for OS X 10.5, which addresses the same security holes that were patched in this release of Snow Leopard. The security update 2011-004 can be downloaded from the Apple Support Website.