OS X Yosemite Release Date Confirmed

The OS X Yosemite release date is confirmed for today, as a free download for Mac users looking for a new features and improved performance.

Apple announced OS X Yosemite at WWDC earlier this year with a public and developer beta allowing many users to try OS X 10.10 early.

The OS X Yosemite release date arrives today after the Apple Event is over. OS X Yosemite is free and compatible with many Macs, even those as old as 2007.

The OS X Yosemite release date is confirmed. Get ready to download.

At the October Apple Event Craig Federighi delivered an overview of the new OS X Yosemite features that deliver a new experience on Yosemite include the way this update works with iOS 8.1 to keep your documents, phone calls, photos, video and more across all Apple devices.

Read: How to Prepare for OS X Yosemite Release

This included Continuity features like Handoff, which lets you pick up on a document or email you had open on another Apple device, options to use the Mac as a speakerphone for the iPhone and to send text messages from your Mac using the iPhone.

During the OS X Yosemite release announcement Federighi demonstrated Handoff. In the demo we saw Federighi switch from iPhone to iPad, back to the iPhone and then to an iMac running OS X Yosemite where all of his changes are included. This only works with Apple apps right now, like KeyNote and other apps.

OS X Yosemite includes many new features.

Throughout the demo the company also showed the ability to make a phone call from OS X Yosemite on a Mac. To start this Federighi used the new Spotlight function in OS X 10.10 to find the Stephen Colbert contact information in his address book and start a call with the Mac as a speakerphone for his iPhone 6.

Apple made a huge deal about battery life in the new Safari for OS X Yosemite, boasting that Safari delivers three hours of longer web browsing battery life than Chrome or FireFox and three hours longer of streaming Netflix.

The OS X Yosemite compatibility list includes the following Apple computers.

• iMac – Mid 2007 on.
• MacBook 13-inch Aluminum – Late 2008 and on.
• 13-inch MacBook – Early 2009 and on.
• 13-inch MacBook Pro – Mid-2009 and on
• 15-inch MacBook Pro – Mid 2007 and on.
• 17-inch MacBook Pro – Late 2007 and on.
• MacBook Air – Late 2008 and on.
• Mac Mini – Early 2009 and on.
• Mac Pro – Early 2008 and on.

The free OS X Yosemite update will arrive in the Mac App store later today as a free update. This may arrive soon after Apple completes the special event.

OS X Yosemite Features

Check out the exciting OS X Yosemite features in the slide show below, highlighting the new design and many of the ways you can use the iPhone, iPad and a Mac with OS X Yosemite together.

New OS X Yosemite Design

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The biggest change in OS X Yosemite is the new look and design. Similar to the visual upgrade the iPhone and iPad received last year this free OS X update brings a new, but familiar look to your Mac.  Apple's new look for OS X Yosemite starts with redesigned buttons, windows and elements. You won't be lost when you open Yosemite, but you will notice a cleaner overall design. There are now translucent areas in some apps that show a blurred view of what's behind and the toolbars are now less cluttered and more useful. Apple also changes the OS X Yosemite dock and system fonts to make OS X Yosemite look better on a Retina display. Notification Center and Spotlight are also new, which we cover in more detail below.   The OS X Yosemite video above walks through the various changes to OS X Yosemite design.

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