Despite apparently lifting restrictions on running client editions of OS X under the new VMware Fusion 4.1 and placing the onus of compliance upon the end-user (see screen shot below), VMware has now backtracked and announced that the ability to virtualize OS X clients as discovered by Macworld’s Jason Snell was “a mistake”.

VMware's Original Statement Regarding OS X Client Virtualization Discovered by Macworld

Today VMware announced this “mistake” would be rectified in a forthcoming patch. (If you ask me, it sounds more like Apple dropped the hammer on VMware.)

Of course that doesn’t mean you can’t go and download the 4.1 update now to enjoy OS X client virtualization until the patch is released…and then who says you need to apply the patch when it’s ready?

VMware’s announcement follows:

VMware Fusion 4.1 was released late last week and includes many great improvements.  One change was the introduction of a new license verification step for users to verify they are in compliance with the OS licensing terms.

When the license verification step was added in VMware Fusion 4.1 the server edition check was omitted. We are preparing an update.

Running Mac OS X client in a virtual machine continues to require Lion (purchased from the Mac App Store or a USB thumb drive.)  Users should always ensure they remain in compliance with any applicable software license agreements.