Apple issues fourth developer beta of macOS 10.14 Mojave

Apple has issued the fourth beta of macOS 10.14 Mojave to developers for testing, with fourth betas for Apple's other milestone operating system releases also likely to arrive in the near future.

As with other betas provided by Apple, developers enrolled in the testing program can acquire new build from the Apple Developer Center, or as over-the-air updates on devices using previous beta versions. Public beta versions usually ship within a few days of the developer betas and will be downloadable from the Apple Beta Software Program website.

The fourth macOS 10.14 Mojave beta has build number 18A336e, up from the third beta's 18A326g. Apple did issue a minor update to the third beta after its release, build 18A326h, but the changes were minimal enough for it to not count as new beta version.

A new productivity feature introduced in macOS Mojave is an expansion of Stacks from the dock to the desktop, which groups files and images automatically for users. The Finder now has a Gallery view that displays media and its metadata, along with contextual quick actions that can trigger custom automator actions.

Quick Look now offers the use of Markup without needing to leave the menu at all, as well as the ability to trim videos without needing a video-editing tool. The way screenshots are taken has been updated with a new HUD, which both simplifies taking images or videos of the desktop as well as reducing the load on the processor.

A new feature that works across iOS and macOS, the Continuity Camera can allow users to insert a photograph taken moments previously on on iOS device's camera and insert them into a macOS-based application. Notably this can be performed without needing to manually send the image over or use AirDrop.

During WWDC, Apple revealed an ongoing project to enable developers to turn iOS apps into versions that run on macOS, with the first results from the initiative being the porting of some first-party iOS apps. News, Stocks, and Voice Memos have been ported to macOS in this way, along with the Home app, allowing Mac users to maintain their HomeKit network.

The Mac App Store has received a long-overdue refresh that brings it closer to the iOS App Store in a number of ways, including the addition of video previews. Machine learning technology improvements including Create ML and Core ML2, and a new Dark Mode interface, are also included.

AppleInsider, and Apple itself, strongly advise against installing beta releases on mission-critical hardware, due to the potential for data loss. Those interested in testing the betas out should use secondary devices, and to keep backups of any important data before installing or performing updates.