Apple fixes FaceTime, USB-C, and Office 365 bugs in macOS Catalina

Earlier this week, Apple released updates for iPadOS and iOS to fix a bug that prevented devices running the latest software from joining FaceTime calls with some older devices. Now, Apple has done the same with macOS and watchOS, but the macOS update includes a few additional fixes, too.

Apple has labeled the macOS update as a “supplemental update” to Catalina 10.15.4, indicating that it is focused on timely bug fixes. Apple says the update fixes an issue that caused Office 365 users to be repeatedly prompted to enter their passwords; addresses a problem that could cause 2020 MacBook Airs to stop working under certain circumstances when disconnecting some external displays; and resolves a problem that prevented USB-C ports from working.

We discussed the FaceTime bug when the iOS update hit on Tuesday; a previous software update caused a problem that prevented users of devices running macOS 10.15.4 or iOS/iPadOS 13.4 from communicating via FaceTime with users running iOS 9.3.6 or OS X 10.11.6 or earlier. Obviously, a near-global shelter-in-place order meant that bug had some very unfortunate timing, so Apple was fairly quick to remedy it.

Here are Apple’s release notes for the macOS update:

‌macOS Catalina‌ 10.15.4 supplemental update improves the stability and security of your Mac.

• Fixes an issue where Mac computers running ‌macOS Catalina‌ 10.15.4 could not participate in ‌FaceTime‌ calls with devices running iOS 9.3.6 and earlier or OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 and earlier
• Resolves an issue where you may repeatedly receive a password prompt for an Office 365 account
• Fixes an issue where ‌MacBook Air‌ (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) may hang in Setup Assistant or when disconnecting and reconnecting a 4K or 5K external display
• Resolves an issue where a USB-C port in your Mac may become unresponsive

There’s less to say about the watchOS update; it’s just there to address the FaceTime issue. Here’s what Apple says about today’s watchOS 6.2.1 changes:

• Fixes an issue where devices running watchOS 6.2 could not participate in FaceTime audio calls with devices running iOS 9.3.6 and earlier or OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 and earlier.