Firmware Articles on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog

MacBook Pro, AirPort Base Station and Time Capsule firmware updated

by Chris Rawson (Nov 10th, 2011)

Apple has released three new firmware updates all at once. MacBook Pro SMC Firmware Update 1.5 "resolves an issue where a MacBook Pro being used with a power adapter may unexpectedly shut down under heavy workload if the battery charge level is near empty." It's not entirely clear which models ...

Samsung requests iPhone 4S source code in Australian court

by Michael Grothaus (Nov 1st, 2011)

Samsung continues is counter-assault on Apple in Australia, now requesting that Apple show it the the subsidy agreements that the company has with the Australian carriers and also the source code to the iPhone 4S firmware. Samsung's attorneys told the court that the company needed both the ...

Apple releases Apple TV update 4.4.1 (Updated)

by Kelly Hodgkins (Oct 18th, 2011)

Update: It appears that many/most Apple TVs are still not seeing the 4.4.1 update, although Jeff Gamet reports he's spotted it in the wild. Mike Rose reported that he installed 4.4.1 Tuesday night via a tethered restore (USB connection) from iTunes, but that it took several tries to ...

Apple issues Thunderbolt Display firmware update

by Michael Grothaus (Sep 19th, 2011)

Apple has released a Thunderbolt Display firmware update for the new displays they started shipping just last week. The Thunderbolt Display Firmware Update 1.0 improves the stability of the Apple Thunderbolt Display. The update weighs in at just 923 KB and requires Mac OS X 10.6.8 or OS X Lion ...

Apple releases iMac Graphic Firmware Update 3.0 to address hanging graphics

by Chris Rawson (Aug 24th, 2011)

Apple has released iMac Graphic FW Update 3.0 to address graphical hanging issues that some people were reporting on iMacs. After upgrading to Lion, many users had reported their iMacs were locking up entirely after playing certain kinds of videos, requiring them to reboot in order to regain ...

Apple releases Thunderbolt Firmware Update

by Chris Rawson (Jun 27th, 2011)

Apple has released a firmware update for Macs equipped with the new Thunderbolt I/O port. The update provides the usual "performance and stability fixes" that Apple's firmware updates are famous for. As with all firmware updates, Apple stipulates that the power on your Mac must not be ...

Mid-2011 iMac graphic firmware update 2.0 fixes startup issue

by Victor Agreda, Jr. (Jun 8th, 2011)

Apple just posted a firmware update for mid-2011 iMacs, which you can find in Software Update or here. There's a knowledgebase article about the issue here, but basically, if you've had symptoms of your mid-2011 iMac showing a white or gray screen and being unresponsive on startup, this update is ...

Apple issues iMac Hard Drive Firmware Update 1.0

by Michael Grothaus (Apr 25th, 2011)

Apple has issued iMac Hard Drive Firmware Update 1.0. The firmware update fixes a hard drive issue that may prevent some iMac (21.5-inch and 27-inch, Mid 2010) systems from booting properly. The update requires Mac OS X 10.6.7 or later and weighs in at 767 KB. You can download it by running ...

Firmware password security improved on new MacBook Air & Pro

by TJ Luoma (Mar 10th, 2011)

ZDNet spotted a new Apple support document which states that only "Apple retail stores or Apple Authorized Service Providers" can unlock a new MacBook Air (late 2010) or Pro (early 2011) protected by a firmware password. If your firmware password is lost or forgotten, you'll have to take it to ...

Apple releases Time Capsule and AirPort Base Station firmware update to fix AirPlay issues

by Michael Grothaus (Dec 16th, 2010)

We've heard several reports of people having various problems trying to stream movies and music to their AppleTV via AirPlay using Time Capsules and AirPort Base Stations. Hopefully for those experiencing problems, your solution is just a download away. Apple has just released AirPort Base Station ...

Another MacBook Air EFI firmware update available

by Chris Rawson (Dec 8th, 2010)

Apple has released MacBook Air EFI Firmware Update 2.0 for the newest MacBook Airs. The update addresses "a rare issue where MacBook Air boots or wakes to a black screen or becomes unresponsive," according to Apple, and it's a 2MB download that you can find either at the link above or via Software ...

Boot Camp, MacBook firmware updates appear in Software Update

by Steven Sande (Nov 18th, 2010)

After the excitement of the Safari 5.0.3 update this morning, Apple quietly slipped in a few more updates this afternoon. Boot Camp Software Update 3.2 for Windows 32 bit and Windows 64 bit both provide support for the ATI-Radeon HD 5870 graphics card, the Apple USB Ethernet adapter, and the MacBook ...

SMC firmware update for 2007-2008 MacBooks now available

by Chris Rawson (Oct 8th, 2010)

When my wife got a new 2009 MacBook to replace her dead 2007 model, one minor irritation I had with the new MacBook was that its wall charger no longer worked with my Early 2008 MacBook Pro. That's no longer an issue; today, Apple issued an SMC firmware update for 2007-2008 MacBooks and MacBook ...

New Apple TV firmware: iOS-based and available now

by Chris Rawson (Sep 28th, 2010)

Just slightly ahead of the new Apple TV's arrival at purchasers' doorsteps, Apple has posted the restore firmware for the new device (download link). The firmware's filename and .ipsw extension both confirm what practically everyone already knew: the new Apple TV runs on a flavor of iOS, the same ...

Behind the scenes, Optimus (not) at work on new MBPs?

by Dave Caolo (Apr 13th, 2010)

Update: While Engadget originally reported that Optimus was behind the MBP power-saving switch feature, AppleInsider is citing NVIDIA representatives that the feature isn't based on their tech -- they say it's home-grown by Apple. Thanks to our commenters for pointing this out. Great power is ...