Apple's free next-generation Mac operating system, OS X 10.10 Yosemite, will hit the Mac App Store today, packing in an all-new design, Continuity and Handoff with iOS 8. In addition, a redesigned iWork suite is also set to launch as a free download.
Apple software chief Craig Federighi demonstrated many of the new features of Yosemite at a media event in Cupertino, Calif., on Thursday, chief among them the new Continuity and Handoff features, which allow users to seamlessly transition between their Mac and their iOS devices.
Apple also shined a light on less-touted features like highly efficient operation in Safari, which helps with battery life when streaming video and performing other processor intensive operations.
Also demonstrated on Thursday were new versions of Numbers, Keynote and Pages, which encompass the company's iLife suite. The applications feature a new, flatter design that is in line with the changes made to OS X Yosemite.
The final public version includes support for iCloud Drive, which brings easy cross-platform file sharing to Mac, iOS and even Windows devices. Mail has also been upgraded with Markup features and support for the iCloud-based Mail Drop for sending files up to 5GB in size.
Finally, Yosemite comes with the redesigned iTunes 12.
The full list of Yosemite features spotlighted by Apple are:
- Today view in Notification Center, giving you quick access to informative widgets for Calendar, Weather, Stocks, Reminders, World Clock and social networks. You can also add widgets like Yahoo! Sports from the Mac App Store to customize your Today view;
- a new Spotlight, delivering rich information right to your desktop from Wikipedia, Maps, Bing, App Store, iTunes Store, iBooks Store, top websites, news and movie showtimes;
- iCloud Drive, so you can store files of any type in iCloud, organize them any way you like, and access them from your Mac, iPhone, iPad or even a Windows PC;
- a streamlined new Safari that delivers the fastest performance, as well as the longest battery life for web browsing and Netflix HD video streaming on the Mac;
- an updated version of Mail, which includes Markup for quickly filling out and signing forms and PDFs right within Mail, plus Mail Drop, which makes it easy to send large attachments up to 5GB for free;
- enhanced Messages, so now you can add participants to your ongoing group conversations, see their locations on a map, quickly access attachments and even mute notifications;
- iTunes 12, which has a sleek new look, is fast and simple to use, and makes it easier to switch between browsing your music library and discovering new music on the iTunes Store. A new Recents view makes it easy to access the media you just purchased or recently played; and
- Family Sharing, so family members can now browse and download each other's iTunes, iBooks or Mac App Store purchases.