OS X Mavericks release date: Update available to download now for free


With the company’s latest Mac based operating system having been unveiled earlier in the year, Apple has now confirmed the OS X Mavericks release date will start today.


For the first time, OS X Mavericks is offered for free for any Mac users, regardless of whether your on Mountain Lion, Lion or Snow Leopard.


Bringing a raft of new features and improvements to users’ Mac computers from the latest MacBook Air models up to the recently released 2013 iMac editions, the upcoming OS X Mavericks release date will see Apple branded computers work better with the company’s iOS smartphones and tablets.


Announced at WWDC earlier in the year, OS X Mavericks will help free up some memory on your Mac as it is able to "intelligently align the work of your computer's power transitions, which reduces CPU activity up to 72 per cent."


Apple also added that Mavericks has "some more improvements that are really going to help with your browsing, and one is iCloud Keychain."


OS X Mavericks Features

Rather than a total OS overhaul like iOS 7, OS X Mavericks introduces some key new features and improves iOS compatibility within a familiar UI.


During the event Apple said you'll get an hour longer web browsing on a single charge and up to an hour and half longer when watching video as it utilises Compressed Memory. This means you can run more apps and never slow down.


The graphics system has been advanced system wide. Mavericks dynamically allocate more and less memory to the integrated GPU as needed. Integrated graphics can also support OpenCL, to run tasks at least 1.8 times faster.


The Notifications bar has been updated to offer more information about the amount of emails, new iMessages or other alert you need to attend to. Alerts will also now often pop-up as interactive notifications at the right hand side of the screen. There are also new website notifications for selected pages you choose to follow.


If you use the multi-display functionality with your Mac, Apple has improved the feature so you can run full-screen apps on both screens. This is especially useful when your second screen is your Apple TV over AirPlay.


The Finder tab now supports multiple tab windows, allowing you to start a new search through your various files without losing the previous one.


iCloud Keychain is another new feature of OS X Mavericks. Using 256-encryption, it stores all your usernames and passwords across iOS and OS X devices securely in the cloud.


Shared links are also used for Safari so you can see what your friends are liking online.


Mavericks also brings Apple iBooks and Apple Maps to your Mac.


For more information, take a look at our exploration of the best OS X Mavericks features.