Messages may become Mountain Lion-only after beta
updated 01:10 pm EST, Fri February 17, 2012
Hidden text urges users to buy new OS
The Messages app introduced alongside OS X Mountain Lion will become exclusive to the new OS after the current beta period has finished, French site Consomac says it has learned. Buried in text strings for the app is a future alert for users of the Lion-based beta. "Thank you for participating in the Messages Beta program. With the inclusion of Messages in OS X Mountain Lion, the Messages Beta program has ended," the notice reads. "To continue using Messages, please visit the Mac App Store and purchase OS X Mountain Lion."
Mountain Lion is scheduled to ship this summer. The decision to make Messages exclusive to the OS may be seen as arbitrary, as the technology is already working in Lion. Messages is expected to be a selling point of the new OS though, and Apple may be unwilling to invest resources in maintaining backwards compatibility.



Mac Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 1999
yes, when ML ships
I'll bet that this message is displayed (and the app is disabled) once Mountain Lion ships.