OS X Mavericks, the latest version of Apple’s desktop operating system, will be available to install today.
Speaking at a major press event in San Francisco, Apple Senior Vice President Craig Federighi today confirmed that the update will be available via AppStore update today for free. This is a first for Apple, as it previously charged $20 for Snow Leopard and Lion.
Some of the new features in Mavericks include improved support for multiple displays, tabbed browsing in Finder, brand new Maps and iBooks applications, and a slew of improvements and enhancements to existing applications. The social network for professionals, LinkedIn, will now be integrated into the OS, allowing users to post updates directly to their profiles from within OS X applications. Other changes include stability and performance improvements, as well as a few additions from iOS like App Nap which allows apps to ‘pause’ when not in use, improving overall system performance.
Mavericks is the first version of OS X not to use a big cat name. It’s named after a popular surfing spot in northern California. Apple has said that future editions of OS X will also be named after inspiring locations around California.
