Packs a truckload of fixes and enhancements, including Safari 6.0.3

Mar 15, 2013 07:33 GMT  ·  By

After four months of development, Apple has finally released OS X 10.8.3, the third maintenance and security update for the company’s Mountain Lion operating system. Among numerous fixes and enhancements, OS X 10.8.3 includes a new version of Safari.

In typical fashion, Apple tells customers that “The 10.8.3 update is recommended for all OS X Mountain Lion users and includes features and fixes that improve the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac.”

First and foremost, Apple notes the ability to redeem iTunes gift cards in the Mac App Store using your Mac's built-in camera.

The software further adds Boot Camp support for installing Windows 8, as well as support for Macs with a 3 TB hard drive.

Numerous fixes are then enumerated, including one that could cause a file URL to quit apps unexpectedly (the widely covered FILE bug), a fix for an issue that may cause Logic Pro to become unresponsive when using certain plug-ins, and many others.

Some improvements have been made to the compatibility with IMAP servers in the Notes app, and the Slideshow screen saver can now display photos located in a subfolder.

Some reliability improvements when using a Microsoft Exchange account in Mail are also included.

Notably, OS X 10.8.3 includes Safari 6.0.3, an update which packs fixes that improve performance, stability, and security.

The new version improves scrolling on facebook.com (probably a widely requested fix from fans of the social network), improves scrolling while zoomed in on a webpage, improves performance on webpages with plug-in content, and fixes an issue that could cause the inaccurate appearance of an alert that bookmarks can't be changed.

Several other fixes are outlined, including one for an issue that could prevent Safari from restoring the last position on a webpage a user navigated back to.

OS X 10.8.3 packs a number of security patches as well. We’ll be discussing those in a separate article today.

Download OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.3 (Free)