Mac OS 8.7 (Sonata) Turns Beta!

Yesterday, Apple seeded beta 2 of Mac OS 8.7, code-named Sonata, to developers. Beta 2 is just the 5th seeded build of Sonata since it first surfaced back in May. The first beta of Sonata was only seeded internally, sources told AppleInsider, a thread that will most likely continue for odd-numbered builds.

The current build is code named "Spunky," but other than that, not much has changed, visually, since the late alpha releases. However, the system is much more stable than it once was, sources said. Sherlock II has also been completely redone and wrapped in the QuickTime 4.0 interface, which includes the metallic look, curved edges, and sliding panel bars.

Sonata is expected to ship sometime later this summer or early in the Fall. The release should also be the first to ship on the G4 line of Power Macintosh systems slated to debut in late '99 or early 2000.

A complete list of all the new features in Sonata can be seen in our Mac OS 8.7 Information Archive; screenshots from Sonata are available via the reports listed under the pop-up menu at the end of the archive.