WWDC 2013: Apple drops ‘cats’ theme, calls new Mac OS ‘Mavericks’
Apple got its annual Worldwide Developers Conference underway Monday in San Francisco with the announcement of a new version of its desktop operating system called Mac OS X Mavericks.
Apple Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi kicked off the announcement by jokingly saying that the new version of Mac OS X would be called Sea Lion, in order to keep up the cat theme Apple has used since the early 2000s.
After the quick laugh, Federighi said the new version would actually be called Mavericks and said Apple will be shifting toward a California theme for future versions.
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The new operating system, which will work with the company’s line of desktops and laptops, will include a number of new features designed for power users.
The first mentioned was Finder Tabs, a feature that lets users go into their Finder, the application used to browse a Mac computer’s files, and open multiple tabs. This feature is similar to the multiple tabs that can be opened when using Web browsers.
Also announced was Tagging, a feature that allows users to add tags to files that they save. This should let users search for files more easily.
Apple also announced the iCloud Keychain, new feature that stores users’ account passwords. It will also suggest passwords.
The company has improved its notification system so that users can quickly respond to messages they receive from within the notification itself. Additionally, the new operating system will update users’ apps in the background so they don’t have to.
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Apple also announced a redesigned version of its Calendar that features a simplified interface.
The company is bringing iBooks and Apple Maps, two of its popular mobile apps, to the Mac. Users will be able to access their e-books from their desktop, and with Apple Maps, they can find a route on their computer and send it to their iPhone.
Additionally, Apple said the Safari Web browser has been improved to run more smoothly and will include a new sidebar where users can easily find their bookmarks, reading list and links that their friends have shared on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Multiple Displays was also introduced. This feature is an expansion of the features users get when they connect their computers with more than one monitor or Apple TV, allowing them to do tasks on one screen without interrupting the other.
Apple said Mavericks will launch to the general public this fall.
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