Apple Releases New Intel Build and Locks it Down

Apple has seeded build 8B1027, the first major update to the Apple Developer Platform owners for its Intel-based Transition Kits. The build, at 2.7GB, brings Transition Kit systems up to version 10.4.2 by reinstalling Mac OS X and places it in-sync with the current Mac version of OS X.

Build 8B1027 includes new lockdowns to prevent piracy of Mac OS X, something that Apple wasn't happy about with the original release of Mac OS X for Intel. The key restriction is that software built with 8B1027 will not run on the previous Intel build. In other words, universal binaries built with Xcode 2.2 and build 8B1027 of Mac OS X 10.4.2 for Intel will not the initial version of OS X.

At this stage, Apple is indicating that they will meet the hackers head on. Expect Apple to implement more stringent TPM checks on all future builds, in an attempt to ensure that Mac OS X and Universal Binary based software will not run on non Mac systems. I see this as a statement that Apple intends to ensure that Macs are the only systems that will be able to run OS X.

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