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OS X Mavericks gets official release date: Today

Apple announces the availability of the next generation of its desktop operating system. Oh, and one more thing: it's free.
Written by Andrew Nusca, Contributor
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October 22—yes, today—is the official release date of OS X Mavericks, the next generation of Apple's desktop operating system.

The company announced the date today at an event in San Francisco.

"What's most important to us is seeing the software in the hands of as many Mac users as possible," software engineering SVP Craig Federighi said.

Federighi said the operating system would be free for customers of Macs, a departure from the traditional operating system business model. Mac models as old as 2007 can be upgraded in one step to the new operating system.

Among the new features of Mavericks is the inclusion of the previously mobile-only iBooks and Maps applications, an updated Calendar and Safari web browser, support for multiple displays and notifications, and several tweaks to improve performance and energy efficiency.

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