Oracle has released a new update for Java 8, but has continued their recent trend of not bumping the version number. Oracle has put out a new build of Java 8 but didn’t bump the version number from Java 8 Update 40, which makes this the third release of Java 8 Update 40.
At this point, it appears that Oracle is now providing the install application across the board. When you update an existing Java installation on OS X via Oracle’s Java update mechanism, you will receive Oracle’s install application for Java along with the selected option to install the Ask.com browser add-ons. If you download an installer from Java.com, you will also receive this install application.
While the Oracle install application is not a standard installer package, it appears that Oracle had stored an installer package for Java 8 within the install application at the following location:
/path/to/install.app/Contents/Resources/JavaAppletPlugin.pkg
The JavaAppletPlugin installer package is digitally-signed and does not include the Ask.com browser add-ons.
The difference between the three Java 8 Update 40 releases
Early March’s Java 8 Update 40 (released on March 4, 2015): Java 8 Update 40 build 25 (1.8.40.25)
Mid-March’s Java 8 Update 40 (released on March 13, 2015): Java 8 Update 40 build 26 (1.8.40.26)
Just-Past-Mid-March’s Java 8 Update 40 (released on March 16, 2015): Java 8 Update 40 build 27 (1.8.40.27)
If you have Java 8 Update 40 installed, you can find out which build you have by running the following command in Terminal:
defaults read /Library/Internet\ Plug-Ins/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin/Contents/Info.plist CFBundleVersion
If you have Java 8 Update 40 build 25, the following string will be returned:
1.8.40.25
If you have Java 8 Update 40 build 26, the following string will be returned:
1.8.40.26
If you have Java 8 Update 40 build 27, the following string will be returned:
1.8.40.27
For more details, see below the jump.
Following installation of Java 8 Update 40 build 27, I tested on a 10.10.2 Mac against the following sites:
Oracle’s Java Test page: https://www.java.com/en/download/help/testvm.xml
Java Tester’s Java Version page: http://javatester.org/version.html
In both cases, the Java applets on those sites launched and worked without issue using Java 8 Update 40 build 27 (though the javatester.org applet needed to be whitelisted.)
At this point, it appears that Oracle is now providing the install application across the board. When you update an existing Java installation on OS X via Oracle’s Java update mechanism, you will receive Oracle’s install application for Java along with the selected option to install the Ask.com browser add-ons. If you download an installer from Java.com, you will also receive this install application.
Unfortunately, Oracle has not provided any information about why they’ve cycled so rapidly through both builds and installation methods.
