Apple’s macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 Beta 5 Released — What’s New?

Apple has released its new pre-release version of the upcoming macOS High Sierra 10.13.1, and it is now available to both developers and public beta testers. The fifth beta contains features that were already uncovered in the previous versions.

While it’s not clear what changes were made in this new beta, MacRumors reports that users can expect bug fixes, performance improvements, security enhancements and other under-the-hood changes. One of the important bug fixes that will arrive with macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 is going to address the serious vulnerability in the WPA2 WiFi standard that lets attackers sniff out sensitive information from users.

The fifth beta was released three days after the previous version’s rollout. Given the small increment in build numbers, it’s very unlikely for this beta update to come with new features. The fourth beta had the build number 17B45a, while this new one has the build number 17B46a. A one digit increment would unlikely bring a new feature to the software, as pointed out by Apple Insider.

The last time that Apple updated its operating system for mac devices was on Oct. 6. The company released the macOS High Sierra 10.13 Supplemental Update that patched Disk Utility and Keychain vulnerabilities. The update also fixed the cursor graphic bug users found in Adobe InDesign and another issue that disabled users from deleting messages from Yahoo Mail.

With the upcoming software update, the main attraction is the addition of hundreds of new emoji. Mashable has learned that the lineup includes a variety of smileys, animals (zebra, giraffe, hedgehog and more), dinosaurs, fantasy characters (fairies, mermaids and vampires), food items, and many more. All in all, 183 new characters will be added to Apple’s growing collection of emoji for both mac-, watchOS- and iOS-running devices.

Apple’s macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 beta 5 is now available for download from the Apple Developer Center. Developers can also obtain the beta update over-the-air using the Mac App Store Software Update mechanism, provided they have configured their device for testing. On the other hand, only beta testers enrolled to the Apple Beta Software Program can download and install the latest High Sierra beta.

High Sierra is a refinement of the Sierra OS. It was first introduced at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The update was officially rolled out on Sept. 25. The macOS High Sierra update introduced a new Apple File System (APFS), High Efficiency Video Codec (HEVC), new HEIF image encoding, as well as the updated version of Metal with VR and external GPU support.

The macOS High Sierra also enhanced certain apps, including the Photos app. The updated Photos app now has a new sidebar that provides quick assess to the different editing tools and albums. The Safari browser has also received some tweaks that made it perform faster. The browser also got a new option for autoplay videos and a new privacy feature. Finally, High Sierra improved Siri by giving the digital assistant a more natural voice.

Meanwhile, Apple is currently busy preparing for the official release of iPhone X on Nov. 3. Preorders for the 10th anniversary iPhone will kick off this Friday, Oct. 27. Major mobile carriers T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon have since announced their different promos for the flagship device. Check them out here.