14 DAY TRIAL // Through its customer seeding program, Apple is beta testing a new version of Mail.app for OS X Mavericks, following complaints from users regarding issues with Gmail, folders, retrieving messages, deleting email, and more. The update could be part of an upcoming OS X 10.9.1 release.
An updated Mail application has been released both to select customers and developers enrolled with Apple, to speed up the release of this patch.
Apparently, the matter is urgent, and Apple is asking testers to use the Mail application in any way they find it necessary to uncover faulty functionality.
“Use Mail with your usual Mail accounts, including iCloud, Gmail, Exchange, etc,” Apple says.
Other instructions include simply sending messages and checking for incoming email on a timely basis, and reading and moving Mail messages to folders on the mail server, local folders on the Mac, as well as smart folders.
Other actions include: “delete Mail messages as appropriate; undo move or delete actions with your Mail messages; mark messages read/unread in both your mail provider’s webpage and Mail and verify they stay in sync.”
People who are familiar with the updated Mail app are telling 9to5mac that it is version 7.0 build 1822 (compared to the existing build in OS X Mavericks which carries number 1816).
Perhaps more important is that these people also reveal that “OS X Mavericks 10.9.1 is already well into development.”
The updated Mail 7.0 may or may not be the main purpose of the planned 10.9.1 update. Since the updated Mail application is available as a patch download, Apple could just as well release a standalone update, allowing work to progress on the 10.9.1 build which will undoubtedly address more issues reported by customers.
OS X 10.9.1 will be provided as a free download through the Mac App Store when the development cycle is complete.