At Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference earlier this month, the company demoed Mac OS X Lion, the next version of its flagship Mac operating system. It’s set to become available in July, but Apple has released another update to Mac OS X to tide Mac users over.

Apple announced the release of Mac OS X v10.6.8, which affects Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard). “The Mac OS X v10.6.8 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Snow Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac,” the company says.

Here’s what’s included, via Apple’s update page:

• Enhancements to the Mac App Store to get your Mac ready to upgrade to Mac OS X Lion.
• Resolves an issue that may cause Preview to unexpectedly quit.
• Improves support for IPv6.
• Improves VPN reliability.
• Identifes and removes known variants of MacDefender malware.
• Corrects timezone data in iCal for Lisbon-Portugal.
• Adds the ability to use Kerberos authentication to a web proxy server.
• Fixes an issue when saving documents from Xcode or TextEdit when using an NFS home directory.
• Fixes an issue when importing certain media files into Final Cut Pro.
• Includes RAW image compatibility for additional digital cameras.

Mac OS X v10.6.8 also includes fixes provided in the Mac OS X v10.6.7 Snow Leopard Font Update:

You may notice on that list, a fix for Final Cut Pro. Apple just released Final Cut Pro X earlier this week, claiming it “revolutionizes” video editing, though it’s gotten a lot of not-so-glowing reviews.

Also notice that first one. This update gets your Mac ready for the Lion update. Lion will provide users with over 250 new features and developers with 3,000 new APIs. It features multi-touch gestures and fluid animations that let you interact directly with the content on the screen.

For more on this (and other recent Apple announcements, read 114 Things You Should Know About Apple’s New Offerings.

To update your system, Apple says to back up your system before installation using Time Machine, and not to interrupt the installation process once you’ve started it. “You may experience unexpected results if you have third-party system software modifications installed, or if you’ve modified the operating system through other means,” Apple says.

Just go to Software Update from the Apple menu to check for the latest update.

Mac OS X Lion will be available for $29.99 via the Mac App Store.