Apple makes Mac operating system software free to download

Apple has made its latest Mac operating system, OS X Mavericks, available to download for free from the Mac App Store.

Apple has made its latest Mac operating system, OS X Mavericks, available to download free from the Mac App Store.

The announcement was made alongside a number of product launches and introductions, including an updated MacBook Pro, Mac Pro and the new iPad Air.

OS X Mavericks is the tenth major release of Apple’s operating system (OS), and includes features new to the Mac such as iBooks and Maps.

Other features included in the new OS include iCloud Keychain, a system that securely stores website usernames and passwords for use on trusted devices; multi-display support to increase ease of using multiple screens, and Finder tabs and tags for better organisation of files.

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The new Mac Pro, dubbed “the most radical Mac ever”, will include PCIe-based flash storage, ECC memory and will be one-eighth of the size of the previous Mac Pro. Prices will start at £2,499.

The updated MacBook Pro, starting at £1,099, features an improved Retina display, faster graphics and longer battery life, and promises to perform up to 90% faster than previous MacBooks.

As well as the new iPad Air tablet, the iPad Mini has received improvements including a retina display, new A7 chip and longer battery life for around £319.

The announcement comes during a period of increased competition for Apple, with Nokia announcing its first Windows tablet and Microsoft’s shipment of Surface 2 tablets earlier in the month.

OS X Mavericks is available to download free from the Mac App Store.

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