Table of Contents
For the past four years, Apple’s flagship macOS updates have consistently landed in either October or November. However, 2023 might break that tradition. Signs point to the potential September release of macOS Sonoma, largely inferred from its beta releases.
Beta Builds as Predictive Indicators
Apple’s seventh developer beta for macOS Sonoma was unveiled last week, with its build number concluding with the letter “a”. For context, macOS Ventura’s seventh beta previous year ended with the letter “f.” Traditionally, when build numbers end with early alphabet letters, it hints at the nearing end of the beta testing phase.
The pattern was also observed with macOS Mojave in 2018, with its seventh beta build number also finishing with an “a.” Interestingly, Mojave was an exception to recent trends, launching in September.
macOS: A Timeline of Releases
A retrospective look at macOS release dates since 2016 shows:
- macOS Sierra: September 20, 2016
- macOS High Sierra: September 25, 2017
- macOS Mojave: September 24, 2018
- macOS Catalina: October 7, 2019
- macOS Big Sur: November 12, 2020
- macOS Monterey: October 25, 2021
- macOS Ventura: October 24, 2022
September will undoubtedly witness the releases of iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10, tvOS 17, and HomePod 17 updates from Apple.
An Educated Guess
It’s essential to approach these signs with a pinch of salt. Predicting a September release remains speculative. macOS Ventura saw eleven beta versions and a subsequent Release Candidate version. With only seven beta versions out for macOS Sonoma, the actual public release could still be slated for October. Nonetheless, enthusiasts and experts are eagerly eyeing a possible surprise September release this year.
