Apple: OS X Mavericks is free, and available today

Apple announced today that there latest operating system update, OS X 10.9 Mavericks will be available starting today.

Best of all, the update is free through the Mac App Store.

As with all OS updates, Apple promises increased speed and battery life efficiency and the update will overhaul the aesthetics to better match that of iOS 7 and its cleaner design.

In addition, the OS will have an improved notification system, including inline replies, support for multiple monitor and full screen applications, a complete refresh of Finder and a new "iCloud Keychain" to better save your passwords.

Many of the apps have been updated, as well, some adding new functionality.

The update is available to everyone running OS X 10.6 or higher and now leaves Microsoft as the only company that charges for their operating system.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 22 Oct 2013 16:13

Qliphah

It'll be interesting to see if M$ still goes for their subscription only model for Windows 9 (or 10). With Apple factoring in the cost of iOS with the hardware, and android not charging a damned thing Redmond might just take a dirt nap by the end of the decade.

22.10.2013 16:56 #1

SProdigy

Originally posted by Qliphah: It'll be interesting to see if M$ still goes for their subscription only model for Windows 9 (or 10). With Apple factoring in the cost of iOS with the hardware, and android not charging a damned thing Redmond might just take a dirt nap by the end of the decade. In Apple's case, they control the hardware and software. MS makes nothing to give Windows away to HP, Dell, etc. so that does put them in a tough position to compete.

23.10.2013 11:33 #2

KillerBug

I'm guessing if Microsoft thought that they could get people to pay $2000 for a $400 laptop they would give free windows updates for life too. Microsoft isn't exactly hurting to compete...iOS may be free with the purchase of a Mac, but the same hardware in a PC (with windows preinstalled) would cost 1/3 as much or less. It isn't like Apple is going to start giving away iOS to third party OEMs, nor are they going to start competing in terms of price and performance. They see themselves as a premium brand that costs more in spite of less capability, and they will stick with that model until it fails them (and they don't consider less than 10% market share to be a failure, in spite of the fact that microsoft would probably kill off windows if it ever dropped that low). Microsoft's only legitimate fear in the PC space is that a lot of people don't need anything more than a tablet with a BT keyboard, and that means Android is a threat to them...and even that isn't a big threat since they make more on Android than google does. That, and there is only so much performance needed for day-to-day tasks for the average user...Windows 2000 still does everything that the majority of people actually want/need to do, and anything over 1GHZ with power Windows 2000 easily.

23.10.2013 15:05 #3

SProdigy

Good points KillerBug, that and most phones will get the job done for people nowadays.

23.10.2013 15:13 #4

ZeusAV

Pretty nice of them to offer it for free. Too bad Microsoft won't do the same for Windows

23.10.2013 15:20 #5

Ripper

Originally posted by ZeusAV: Pretty nice of them to offer it for free. Too bad Microsoft won't do the same for Windows This is a ridiculous comment and if you were to think about it then you would see why.

KillerBug is making the appropriate point (that I couldn't be arsed to type earlier).

People who will now go on to suggest Apple are setting a precedent here are the same people who try to draw comparisons of this nature between iOS and Android; apples and oranges.

23.10.2013 19:30 #6

cart0181

Quote:The update is available to everyone running OS X 10.6 or higher and now leaves Microsoft as the only company that charges for their operating system. Excuse me? Let's see if they charge for OSXI... THEN you can say they don't charge for their Operating System. This, after 8.1 was just released free of charge? I mean, how can anyone have the expletive to say that?

I could write a comparative history table to follow, but I'm too lazy and that comment was too fill-in-the-blank to be worth it. Thanks anyway.

24.10.2013 02:32 #7

bloke2000

I am a Mac user at Home and a Windows user at work. Mavericks (OSX 10.9) is free, yes.. But so is Windows 8.1 if you have already bought Windows 8.

OSX 10.9 is little more than a Service Pack, there are some small things in there but nothing worthy charging for, same as Windows 8.1. I am sure both companies will charge for any major updates going forward.

Also we are talking OSX here not iOS.

24.10.2013 12:38 #8

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