Apple has announced the price and launch date for the next version of its Mac OS X operating system which runs on its MacBook, Mac Mini and iMac computers.
Named Mountain Lion, the update will be available from next month priced £13.99 in the UK and $19.99 in the US.
Apple first unveiled Mountain Lion in February.
New features include Messages, Notes, Reminders Twitter integration and AirPlay Mirroring. Apple says Facebook integration will be introduced in an upcoming update.
Messages is the full-screen version of iMessage which allows mobile device users to chat for free, its introduction in Mac OS X means users will now be able to continue conversations on their laptop and desktop. A Beta version has been available for users of the Lion edition of Mac OS X.
Apple has said Mountain Lion is the first version of OS X built with its iCloud remote content and data storage service in mind.
iCloud features available in the new software include the ability to share open browser tabs between devices.
Mountain Lion also features system-level Twitter integration and diction voice input as well as a new sleep mode which updates emails and calendars while the computer is in standby.
“The pace of innovation on the Mac is amazing, OS X Mountain Lion comes just a year after the incredibly successful launch of Lion,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With iCloud built right in and the new Notification Center, Messages, Dictation, Facebook integration and more, this is the best OS X yet.”
New features in Mountain Lion include:
- AirPlay Mirroring to wirelessly send an up-to-1080p secure stream of what’s on your Mac to an HDTV using Apple TV, or send audio to a receiver or speakers that use AirPlay;
- Game Center, which brings the popular social gaming network from iOS to the Mac so you can enjoy live, multiplayer games with friends whether they’re on a Mac, iPhone, iPad or iPod touch;
- A speedier Safari web browser with a unified Smart Search Field, iCloud Tabs that present your open tabs across your devices, and a new Tab View to quickly swipe through them;
- Over 1,700 new APIs that give developers access to the latest core OS and web technologies, as well as the newest features of OS X, including Documents in the Cloud, Notifications, Sharing and Game Center.
Mountain Lion requires Lion or Snow Leopard (OS X v10.6.8 or later), 2GB of memory and 8GB of available space. For a complete list of system requirements and compatible systems visit: apple.com/osx/specs/.