OS X Yosemite Set To Be Released This Fall As A Free Download

The next major Mac operating system, OS X Yosemite, will be released to the public this fall. While a specific release date has yet to be announced, fall of 2014 officially begins on September 22 and ends on December 21, offering a vague timeline for the launch and to expect when all Mac users will get to download OS X Yosemite.

Like recent major OS X releases, OS X Yosemite will be a free download. Presumed to support all modern Macs, there has yet to be a specific system requirement or hardware support list, and the first beta versions available to developers may not necessarily be representative of what hardware is supported in the final release.

While the average Mac user has to wait until the fall to download OS X Yosemite, those who are registered with the Mac Developer Program through Apple will get immediately access to OS X Yosemite betas. Additionally, Apple has announced that a public beta of Yosemite will be available to everyone who wants to test the major Mac release, starting this summer.

OS X Yosemite prominently features a completely redesigned user interface with heavy usage of translucencies and white space, making it the first major visual overhaul of OS X in years. Additionally, Yosemite adds many new features and enhancements to the Mac, and adds considerable support for Mac-to-iOS device support. Speaking of iOS, Apple has said that iOS 8 will also be released this fall.

Don’t miss our first look at OS X Yosemite and a sampling of the new features here.