Apple pushed out Release Candidates for macOS Sonoma 14.8.8 and macOS Sequoia 15.7.8 on Tuesday, alongside the second developer beta for macOS Tahoe 26.6. These RC builds represent the second wave of testing for both older operating systems, following initial releases on May 26 and public betas on May 28.

The release notes for both versions indicate they deliver "important security fixes" and are "recommended for all users." This continues Apple's pattern of maintaining security updates for multiple macOS generations simultaneously, ensuring users who haven't upgraded to the latest version still receive critical patches.

Unlike the other beta releases issued today, these RC builds suggest the updates could ship to the public within days. Apple typically releases RC versions shortly before final public updates, meaning Sonoma and Sequoia users should expect these security patches soon, potentially alongside iOS 26.5.2.

The move reflects Apple's strategy to support legacy macOS versions while developing newer ones, addressing the reality that many users operate older systems for compatibility or hardware limitations. These security-focused updates prioritize stability over new features.