Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Speculation: The price of OS X Mavericks?
- Thread starter haruhiko
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
The best argument for it being free is that they haven't offered the "free upgrade with a new Mac" that they have offered almost every time before (that I can remember anyway).
This would be signaling the intention to make it free.
This would be signaling the intention to make it free.
Apple only offers free upgrades AFTER the OS is launched... It was not officially launched yet. Not even the new MacbookPro. Maybe the new iMacs will be able to get a free upgrade.
There's nothing yet to be noticed pointing to Mavericks being free.
Is this accurate? Last years up to date program for Mountain Lion was for computers purchased almost two months before launch.
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/07/2...p-to-date-program-experiencing-early-hiccups/
The GM is out, so Mavericks is DONE. So it should release this month, which, if they were doing the same kind of program, would backdate eligible purchases to early Sept. And yet we have heard nothing. This is the kind of marketing opportunity they have always jumped on however. It drives sales.
So I think there is a good chance Mavericks will be free since we have had no equivalent program yet mentioned. Of course, it's possible that just no one gets it free, but that has not been Apple's M.O. So if anything changes, expect it to be more along the lines of free for everyone, instead of free for no one.
Just did a little bit of research:
1. On June 11 last year, Apple announced that ML will be available in July (with no exact date) and announced the pricing and availability.
Mountain Lion Available in July From Mac App Store
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2012/06/11Mountain-Lion-Available-in-July-From-Mac-App-Store.html
SAN FRANCISCO—June 11, 2012
Pricing & Availability
OS X Mountain Lion will be available in July from the Mac App Store for $19.99 (US). 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, please visit: apple.com/osx/specs/. OS X Server requires Mountain Lion and will be available in July from the Mac App Store for $19.99 (US). The OS X Mountain Lion Up-to-Date upgrade is available at no additional charge via the Mac App Store to all customers who purchased a qualifying new Mac system from Apple or an Apple Authorized Reseller on or after June 11, 2012.
2. Mountain Lion reached GM on July 9 and hit the Mac App Store on July 25.
==> Mountain Lion's pricing and availability was announced nearly a month before the release of the GM
==> Mavericks GM was released already with no announcement of price and availability
Usually developers have to download it separately, but it began appearing in the MAS software update for developers running Mavericks. A hypothesis is that Mavericks will appear in software update for all OS X users. (I think if it is free, it'll be a separate download in the MAS.)
I think the biggest sign is the lack of any news of an Up-to-Date program announcement.
It's understandable as this year most of the resources have been directed to iOS 7.
Yeah. Still disappointing though as we've been through two minor releases when it is normally the tick-tock cycle.
I actually went to look up on Apple's website for what will be updated for Mavericks.
Free is my guess, otherwise we'd have heard of the 60-day upgrade program that normally accompanies paid OS X released. I think that Apple was either going to stop charging for OS X or start charging for iOS, and their recent astronomical success with iOS 7 activations has likely swayed them towards the free option.
Purely speculation of course, but it seems very "Appley" to me for both major OS's to use the same price model.
That said, it wouldn't surprise me to see OS XI be a paid update. If they even do an OS XI.
Purely speculation of course, but it seems very "Appley" to me for both major OS's to use the same price model.
That said, it wouldn't surprise me to see OS XI be a paid update. If they even do an OS XI.
I think ML was £13.99 in the UK so for once not getting stung on the exchange rate. Expect Mavericks to be the same, and not FOC
Oh ok, I see what you mean now. Anyway, I still think it won't be free. On the other hand, I wouldn't mind at all being wrong eheh.
There have been several recent threads about this already. Best guess is $20 like Mountain Lion was.
Prertty much this.
Apple only announces the Up To Date program details when the do the availability announcement of new software. They haven't done the announcement yet.
Ahh, but the update for developers appered for those that were running DP versions of Mavericks. There is nothing there that says "free". And again, the up to date program will be announced with Mavericks availability.
I can't see why Apple should've already announced the up to date program. It's not that it's the second time it happens.. once they announce Mavericks' release date, they say "And customers who bought any Mac up to 60 days prior to the release date are entitled to have the OS for free". Why shouldn't this happen? Why couldn't it?
It could, but historically Apple has announced it beforehand. To me, the iMac update would have been the logical time to mention it because it would be nice for new iMac buyers to know--no pointless waiting till Mavericks.
