Apple taking auto download feature on macOS Sierra live today

Starting today, Apple will push macOS Sierra to prospective upgraders on older versions of OS X, as well as downloads for point updates for users already on Sierra — but won't install anything without explicit permission from the user.

Following a complete update, by default, macOS Sierra and OS X El Capitan will tell the user that the update is complete, and ask to install now, or defer installation.

Users can select that all updates, including OS updates, be performed automatically if desired. The settings are found in the App Store preferences pane.

Apple says that the update, and the handling of update files will be "smart." When user local drive space is running low, Apple claims that the update files will delete themselves, freeing up the multiple gigabytes of space required to retain the updaters.

AppleInsider is getting reports that Sierra is still downloading on incompatible Macs. The only way to prevent this is to disable the auto update feature entirely.

The rebranded macOS Sierra comes with new features, including integration with Apple's Siri virtual assistant. Other enhancements include a new file system built for modern computer equipment, rich Messages, Photos app buffs, Apple Pay for the web and auto unlock via Apple Watch, among numerous under the hood improvements.

The third macOS 10.12.1 beta was released for developers on Monday.

14 Comments

sockrolid 2789 comments · 14 Years

About 8 years ago

Two tiny nitpicks:
1. In App Store, the circular thumbnail for the update showed a mountain lion instead of the generic "X".
It reverted to the "X" thumbnail after installation.
2. The horizontal progress indicator froze at about 5%, but the installation completed as normal.

nolamacguy 4750 comments · 10 Years

the savages on MR are going nuts over this too, as usual.

speaking of reports...what happened to the so called touch disease controversy? wasn't AI preparing a report on this after it finished compiling some sort of data from, uh, somewhere? or is that contro now dead?

lkrupp 10521 comments · 19 Years

nolamacguy said:

the savages on MR are going nuts over this too, as usual.

speaking of reports...what happened to the so called touch disease controversy? wasn't AI preparing a report on this after it finished compiling some sort of data from, uh, somewhere? or is that contro now dead?

Yes, it’s dead along with the “hissing” iPhone 7s. Two failed “-gates” that never gained any traction because they were a trivial minority. I am on the Apple Discussion forums daily and both issues are barely mentioned anymore. Some threads are kept alive only by trolls lamenting the death of Steve Jobs and their tin foil hat theories of Apple’s declining build quality. You know, the usual pablum and crap from self-righteous morons.

boredumb 1418 comments · 14 Years

Will it bug me about installing it a couple of times a day, until I'm sure I'm ready?

jfc1138 3090 comments · 12 Years

boredumb said:

Will it bug me about installing it a couple of times a day, until I'm sure I'm ready?

Probably just turn off auto updates and it will keep quiet?