Apple’s macOS (also known as Mac OS X or simply OS X) operating system as we know it today has more than 20 years of innovation behind it. Development began in 2000 as a project to replace the legacy Mac OS software and integrate NEXTSTEP, a Unix-like operating system developed under Steve Jobs’s NeXT, Inc. in the late 1990s.
Over time, Apple has introduced a wide range of features that set macOS apart from Windows and Linux operating systems. Today, all Mac devices, including iMac, iMac Pro, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac Mini, come with the latest version of macOS pre-installed.
In this definition...
Release date: September 13, 2000
Cost: $29.95 USD
Kodiak is the internal code name Apple gave to its Mac OS X public beta. It was the first instance of Apple’s Aqua, a GUI and visual theme that offered a new font set, app icons, and other features. The public beta also introduced the Dock and menu bar, which created a unique navigation experience. As is the case with many public beta versions of software, it was meant to find various bugs and flaws before the operating system’s final release. The public beta included a suite of native apps that can still be found in the operating system today:
Release date: March 24, 2001
Cost: $129 USD (single license)
Cheetah is the internal code name Apple gave to the first official release of Mac OS X version 10.0. Rather than introducing many new features, this version addressed the criticisms and flaws found in the public beta. However, many users felt it still had room for improvement with its responsiveness, reliability, and variety of applications it offered.
Release date: September 25, 2001
Cost: $129 USD (single license; free for Version 10.0 users)
Mac OS X version 10.1, internally named Puma, was offered to version 10.0 users as a free upgrade because many critics felt Cheetah was not ready for public release. In addition to system-wide performance improvements, Apple introduced a few new features:
Release date: August 23, 2002
Cost: $129 USD (single license)
Version 10.2 was the first Mac OS X version to use its internal code name, Jaguar, as part of its marketing strategy. Jaguar was a paid upgrade for all Mac OS X users, though Apple offered free upgrades for K–12 teachers in the United States. New features in the Jaguar release included:
Release date: October 24, 2003
Cost: $129 USD (single license)
Version 10.3, called Panther, was the first version to discontinue support for some of Apple’s oldest hardware models—namely the Power Macintosh and PowerBook. Panther included the following improvements and new features:
Release date: April 29, 2005
Cost: $129 USD (single license)
Tiger was the longest-running version of Mac OS X, with 30 months between its launch and the launch of its successor. It was the first version of Mac OS X that was native to Macs made with Intel processors. Tiger included the following improvements and new features:
Release date: October 26, 2007
Cost: $129 USD for desktop (single license)
Apple’s release of Leopard was significantly delayed because of the concurrent development and launch of the iPhone. Leopard was thought to bring some of the most significant changes to the Mac OS X environment, and it included the following improvements and new features:
Release date: August 28, 2009
Cost: $29 USD (single license)
Snow Leopard was the last version of Mac OS X that was released in disc form and at a significantly lower price point. This version focused heavily on expanding the Mac OS X 64-bit architecture and improving performance, efficiency, and stability. As such, there were minimal updates to the “look and feel” of the OS, but noticeable improvements to the amount of disk space available (about 7GB) and system-wide responsiveness. New features and improvements introduced in Snow Leopard include:
Release date: July 11, 2011
Cost: $29.99 USD
Lion was the first version of Mac OS X to be released in the Mac App Store. This proved to be prohibitive for users who had not upgraded to Snow Leopard, so Apple began offering Lion upgrades via in-store downloads or USB flash drive installations. Lion was also the first release that was not priced for individual licenses—instead, users could purchase the upgrade once and download it to all of their supported Mac devices. Lion included the following new features and updates:
Release date: July 25, 2012
Cost: $19.99 USD
Mountain Lion marked Apple’s shift toward an annual update release cycle. Its primary goal was to incorporate more apps and behaviors found in iOS to create a cohesive user experience across all Apple devices. These apps and behaviors include:
Release date: October 22, 2013
Cost: Free
Mavericks was the first update to OS X—dropping “Mac” from the official title—offered completely free of charge. It was also the first release that departed from the “big cat” naming convention in favor of a new theme centered around California landmarks. Mavericks included the following feature updates and additions:
Release date: October 16, 2014
Cost: Free
Yosemite expanded the Continuity features introduced in Mountain Lion and Mavericks to create a fluid hand-off experience between Mac and iOS devices. Yosemite feature updates and additions include:
Release date: September 30, 2015
Cost: Free
Because Yosemite brought many function and design updates to OS X, El Capitan was more focused on refinement. Apple’s developers wanted to make the operating system faster and more responsive while also offering more intuitive UX capabilities. Feature updates and additions in El Capitan include:
Release date: September 20, 2016
Cost: Free
Sierra was the first update to use the “macOS” moniker that’s still in place today. This was meant to bring consistency to all of the operating systems in the Apple family, including iOS, watchOS, and tvOS. Sierra introduced a number of new features and improvements that continued to streamline the user experience across all of these devices. These include:
Release date: September 25, 2017
Cost: Free
Similar to Snow Leopard, Mountain Lion, and El Capitan, High Sierra brought mostly under-the-hood updates to macOS. Specifically, High Sierra introduced the following feature updates and additions:
Release date: September 24, 2018
Cost: Free
Mojave introduced several design and productivity updates that elevated the macOS user experience. New and improved features include:
Release date: October 7, 2019
Cost: Free
macOS Catalina introduced new features and enhancements that focused on entertainment and iPad integration. Specifically, these innovations included:
Release date: November 12, 2020
Cost: Free
In terms of version numbering, macOS Big Sur marked a shift away from the 10.x convention in favor of a whole number increment. Big Sur also introduced a major refresh of the macOS user interface, with easier navigation controls, a new color palette, and completely redesigned app icons that are consistent across Apple devices. Other feature improvements and additions include:
Release date: October 25, 2021
Cost: Free
Monterey introduced a wide range of new features and functionalities that improve the macOS user experience. These include: