First Major Upgrade to Mac OS X Hits Stores This Weekend
New Mac OS X v10.1 Upgrade Available Free to All Mac OS X Owners
SEYBOLD SF 2001, SAN FRANCISCO, California-September 25, 2001-Apple=AE today
announced that Mac=AE OS X version 10.1, the first major upgrade to Apple’s
next generation operating system, will be available in stores this
Saturday. Mac OS X v10.1 combines the power of UNIX with the simplicity and
elegance of the Macintosh=AE. This major upgrade to Mac OS X delivers
dramatically enhanced performance, a refined Aqua=AE user interface, and
unprecedented support for digital media and devices including DVDs, MP3
CDs, MP3 players, printers, digital cameras and DV camcorders.
The Mac OS X v10.1 retail package is available for a suggested retail price
of $129 (US). Current Mac OS X users can upgrade using the standard Mac OS
Up-to-Date program for $19.95 (US). A free Instant Up-to-Date upgrade kit
for existing Mac OS X users will be available through October 31, 2001, or
while supplies last through Apple’s retail stores and at participating
retail outlets.
“Mac OS X v10.1 is a stunning upgrade-and only six months after releasing
Mac OS X,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Mac OS X is now ready for
primetime. It’s incredibly fast, includes a refined Aqua interface, has
unrivaled support for more digital devices than any other operating system
on the planet, and best of all-the upgrade is free.”
Mac OS X users can find more than 1,400 native applications in all
categories that fully leverage the modern architecture and features of Mac
OS X. The most anticipated application for Mac OS X is Microsoft’s Office
v.X for Mac, featuring a bold new Aqua user interface. Major Mac OS X
applications available today include Intuit Quicken Deluxe 2002,
Alias|Wavefront’s Maya, Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.1, Adobe Acrobat
Reader 5.0, Macromedia Freehand 10, Aspyr’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2,
Aladdin’s Stuffit Deluxe, Pro Create Painter 7, FileMaker Pro, MYOB’s
AccountEdge, World Book Encyclopedia 2002 and a host of products from
Symantec including Norton AntiVirus, Norton Personal Firewall and Norton
Internet Security.
Mac OS X v10.1 delivers significant performance enhancements throughout the
entire operating system. Everything is faster: applications launch two to
three times faster; Aqua menus are up to five times faster; re-sizing of
windows is up to five times faster; and file copying is up to twice as
fast. Apple testing has shown substantial performance boosts to many other
areas of Mac OS X including start-up, log-in, Classic start-up, OpenGL and
Java.
Fine tuning of the Aqua interface in Mac OS X v10.1 delivers a better user
experience including the number one most requested new feature-the ability
to move the Dock from the bottom to the left or right sides of the screen.
New system status icons on the menu bar provide consumers with easier
access to commonly used functions such as the new volume control slider,
display settings, date and time, easier access to Internet connection
settings and convenient monitoring of wireless networks and battery
charging. Sending, receiving, opening and reading any file type has never
been easier with the new automated file extension management capability of
Mac OS X v10.1.
Mac OS X v10.1 is the world’s most powerful engine for the Digital Hub,
with built-in support for burning CDs and DVDs, playing DVD movies,
managing music, making movies and capturing photos from digital cameras.
Mac OS X v10.1 is the first operating system to allow consumers to burn
over 4 gigabytes of data to a DVD-storing seven times the amount of data as
a CD. A new built-in Image Capture application automatically downloads and
enhances pictures from digital cameras, and Mac OS X v10.1 now supports
more popular digital camera models than any other operating system,
including those from Canon, Nikon and Kodak. Apple’s popular iTunes=81 and
iMovie=81 2 applications are now included as part of the installation instea=
d
of as separate downloads.
Based on open standards and UNIX, Mac OS X is the most compatible operating
system available today. The Mac is now a first class citizen on Windows
networks with the new SMB/CIFS client integrated with Mac OS X v10.1. Mac
OS X v10.1 can connect to virtually any network system with support for AFP
over TCP/IP, AFP over AppleTalk=AE, SMB/CIFS, NFS and WebDAV protocols. Mac
OS X is also the only desktop operating system with built-in support for
creating and displaying PDF files as well as the only one that comes
complete with Java2.
Additional features new to Mac OS X v10.1 include:
* a new DVD Player with simplified interface compatible with Mac
systems equipped with DVD-ROM drive and AGP graphics;
* burning of DVD-R data discs directly in the Finder=81 on Mac systems
with SuperDrive=81;
* improved iDisk now based on the internet-standard HTTP web server
extension WebDAV, providing users in schools and businesses with easier
access to iDisk and the ability to stay connected, even behind corporate
firewalls;
* easier printing with new print drivers from HP, Canon and Epson,
automatic set-up for the most popular inkjet printers, and better support
for professional-grade PostScript printers including PPD files for over 200
PostScript printers from HP, Lexmark and Xerox;
* enhanced 3D graphics performance with updated OpenGL software and
full support for NVIDIA GeForce3;
* ColorSync=AE 4.0 with support for ICC color management and a simpler
user interface;
* the most advanced audio architecture delivering high-resolution
32-bit/96-kHz audio, multi-channel support, low-latency performance, and
built-in MIDI; and
* substantial improvements to AppleScript=AE throughout the system, and
full support for Internet scripting using SOAP and XML.
Pricing & Availability
Mac OS X v10.1 will be available as a full retail product starting this
Saturday, September 29, 2001 through the Apple Store=AE (www.apple.com), at
Apple’s retail stores and through Apple Authorized Resellers for a
suggested retail price of $129 (US).
All existing Mac OS X customers are eligible to receive a Mac OS X v10.1
upgrade package through Apple’s Mac OS Up-To-Date program (www.apple.com).
The Mac OS X v10.1 Up-To-Date package is available for a shipping and
handling fee of $19.95 (US) and includes a Mac OS X v10.1 upgrade CD, full
install of the Classic Mac OS 9.2.1 CD, and an updated Developer Tools CD.
A free Instant Up-To-Date upgrade package is available for all existing Mac
OS X customers starting this Saturday through Apple’s retail stores and at
participating retail outlets. The free upgrade includes both a Mac OS X
v10.1 upgrade CD as well as a Classic Mac OS 9.2.1 upgrade CD. This Instant
Up-To-Date product will be available through October 31, 2001 or while
supplies last.
Mac OS X v10.1 requires a minimum of 128MB of memory and is designed to run
on the following Apple products: iMac=AE, iBook=AE, Power Macintosh=AE G3, P=
ower
Mac=81 G4, Power Mac G4 Cube and any PowerBook=AE introduced after May 1998.
For additional press releases regarding Mac OS X v10.1 announcements today=
,
please visit www.apple.com/pr.
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple
II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh.
Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to
students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world
through its innovative hardware, software and Internet offerings.