macOS
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Developer | Apple, Inc. |
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Source model | Closed source (with open source components) |
Initial release | System Software 1 (24 January 1984) |
Latest release | macOS Monterey 12.4 (16 May 2022) |
Latest preview | macOS Ventura (build 22A5286j) (22 June 2022) |
Supported platforms | x86_64, ARM64 (previously 68k, PPC and i386) |
Kernel type | Hybrid (XNU) |
User interface | Aqua |
License | Proprietary (with open-source components) |
macOS is a series of operating systems developed by Apple for their Macintosh platform. macOS is the second-most commonly used operating system after Microsoft Windows. It first became publicly available in 1984 with the release of the Macintosh 128k.
History[edit | edit source]
Classic[edit | edit source]
The original Macintosh System Software is based on the Lisa OS and UI concepts from Xerox PARC. It uses a monolithic architecture but lacks support for memory management, protected memory, access controls, and conflict-free extensions. Only one application at a time could be supported under System Software until version 5 when MultiFinder was introduced. In 1997, Apple rebranded the Macintosh System Software to Mac OS. Mac OS would continue to be developed until the introduction of Mac OS X, after which Apple only delivered minor updates to the classic Mac OS. The final minor updates were designed to ease the transition to OS X. Carbon, an API introduced with Mac OS 8, works as the transitional API for classic Mac OS and Mac OS X applications.
The classic Mac OS was originally written for the Motorola 68k architecture. The 68k architecture was used from 1984 to 1994, after which Apple transitioned to PowerPC. PowerPC would be used until the classic Mac OS's discontinuation in 2002. Classic Mac OS was based on a simple kernel design, which eventually became too limited and crash-prone for applications. In response, Apple bought NeXT and used NeXTSTEP as a base to develop Mac OS X.
The Classic Mac OS can run standalone, and under Mac OS X using the Classic system layer. Only certain versions of Mac OS 9 can run under the Classic system layer, and the layer itself was dropped after Mac OS X Tiger.
UNIX-based[edit | edit source]
macOS (formerly known as Mac OS X until 2012, or OS X until 2016) is the current incarnation of Mac OS. The first version released was Mac OS X Server in 1999. Unlike the classic Mac OS, it is based on NeXTSTEP and uses its frameworks and architectures. In 2006, Apple switched to Intel-based x86 processors in Macs. Support for PowerPC in Mac OS X was dropped in 2009. In 2012, Apple began to use the OS X moniker to brand Mac OS X alongside their other operating systems (watchOS, tvOS, iOS). In 2016, Apple began to use the macOS moniker to brand OS X alongside their other operating systems (watchOS, tvOS, iOS). At WWDC 2020, Apple declared that they would switch over to the Apple Silicon SoC in future Mac computers.
Timeline[edit | edit source]
Classic Mac OS versions | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Versions | Code name | Release date | Support end date | Notes | |
System Software 1 | 1.0 - 1.1h | N/A | 1984-01-24 | 1985-04-01 | First release of Mac OS for 68k-based systems | |
System Software 2 | 2.0 - 2.1 | N/A | 1985-04 | 1986-01-01 | ||
System Software 3 | 3.0 - 3.3 | N/A | 1986-01 | 1987-01-01 | ||
System Software 4 | 4.0 - 4.1.1 | N/A | 1987-01 | 1987-11-01 | ||
System Software 5 | 5.0 - 5.1 | N/A | 1987-10 | 1988-04-01 | ||
System Software 6 | 6.0 - 6.0.8.1 | N/A | 1988-04 | 1992-03 | ||
Mac OS 7 | 7.0 - 7.6.1 | Big Bang | 1991-05-13 | 2001-05 | First version to support PPC-based systems | |
Copland | 8.0 | Copland | N/A | N/A | Never released | |
Mac OS 8 | 8.0 - 8.6 | Tempo | 1997-07-26 | 2001-05 | Last version to support 68k-based systems | |
Mac OS 9 | 9.0 - 9.2.2 | Sonata | 1999-10-23 | 2002-02-01 | ||
Legend:
Never released
Old version
Older version, still supported
Current stable version
Latest preview version
Future release
| ||||||
UNIX-based macOS versions | ||||||
Name | Version | Darwin version | Code name | Release date | Support end date | Notes |
Mac OS X Server 1.x | 1.x | Rhapsody 5.3 - 5.6[note 1] | Rhapsody | 1999-03-16 | 2001-03-24 | |
Mac OS X Public Beta | 10.0 | 1.2.1 | Kodiak | 2000-09-13 | 2001-03-24[note 2] | Introduced the Aqua interface |
Mac OS X Cheetah | 1.3.1 | Cheetah | 2001-03-24 | 2004 | ||
Mac OS X Puma | 10.1 | 1.4.1 / 5 | Puma | 2001-09-25 | 2005 | |
Mac OS X Jaguar | 10.2 | 6 | Jaguar | 2002-08-23 | 2006 | |
Mac OS X Panther | 10.3 | 7 | Pinot | 2003-10-24 | 2007 | |
Mac OS X Tiger | 10.4 | 8 | Merlot, Chardonay | 2005-04-29 | 2009-09 | First version to support i386-based systems; Last version to support PowerPC G3 processors |
Mac OS X Leopard | 10.5 | 9 | Chablis | 2007-10-26 | 2011-06-23 | First version to support x86_64-based systems; last version to support PPC-based systems |
Mac OS X Snow Leopard | 10.6 | 10 | Snow Leopard | 2009-08-28 | 2014-02-25 | Last version to support i386-based systems and PPC-based applications via Rosetta |
Mac OS X Lion | 10.7 | 11 | Barolo | 2011-07-20 | 2014-10-16 | |
OS X Mountain Lion | 10.8 | 12 | Zinfandel | 2012-07-25 | 2015-09 | Removes the 32-bit kernel and 32-bit EFI bootloader |
OS X Mavericks | 10.9 | 13 | Cabernet | 2013-10-22 | 2016-09 | |
OS X Yosemite | 10.10 | 14 | Syrah | 2014-10-16 | 2017-08 | |
OS X El Capitan | 10.11 | 15 | Gala | 2015-09-30 | 2018-08 | Last version to support Intel processors without SSE4.1 |
macOS Sierra | 10.12 | 16 | Fuji | 2016-09-20 | 2019-09 | |
macOS High Sierra | 10.13 | 17 | Lobo | 2017-09-25 | 2020-11-12 | |
macOS Mojave | 10.14 | 18 | Liberty | 2018-09-24 | 2021-10-25 | Last version to support 32-bit applications |
macOS Catalina | 10.15 | 19 | Jazz[note 3] | 2019-10-07 | TBD | |
macOS Big Sur | 11 | 20 | Golden Gate | 2020-11-12 | TBD | First version to support ARM64-based systems |
macOS Monterey | 12 | 21 | Star | 2021-10-25 | TBD | Last version to support Intel processors without AVX2 |
macOS Ventura | 13 | 22 | Rome | Fall 2022 | TBD | |
Legend:
Never released
Old version
Older version, still supported
Current stable version
Latest preview version
Future release
|