With a matter of weeks left until Apple's WWDC 2014 keynote on 2 June, excitement is building among the Mac world about what's in store for OS X.
Apple has confirmed that we'll be getting a glimpse at the future of the Mac operating system during the event, so here, we've put together a preview of OS X 10.10 so you'll know what to expect.
Nothing's set in stone yet, of course, as Apple has kept OS X 10.10 completely under wraps, but there have been whispers among the Mac rumour sphere about what's in store for OS X, so we've gathered together the most convincing for our preview. We'll update this article when as get more information about OS X 10.10, and when Apple unveils the details about OS X 10.10 in June.
We don't yet know what Apple is planning to call OS X 10.10, but we've put together a list of eight possible names for the next version of Mac OS X here.
Mac OS X 10.10 preview: design
One of the biggest talking points when it comes to OS X 10.10 is the design. After all, iOS underwent an enormous redesign last year, so perhaps the same is in store for Apple's Mac operating system in 2014.
It's believed that Apple's senior vice president of design Jonathan Ive has been heading the redesign of Mac OS X for OS X 10.10, so we can expect to see some of the flatter, more minimalist aesthetics as seen in iOS 7.
However, we don't think OS X and iOS will get too similar. In January, Apple's Phil Schiller told Macworld, our sister title in the US, "We don't waste time thinking, 'But should it be one [interface]? How do you make these [operating systems] merge together?' What a waste o f energy that would be."
Apple's head of software, Craig Federighi, added: "The reason OS X has a different interface than iOS isn't because one came after the other or because this one's old and this one's new. Instead, it's because using a mouse and keyboard just isn't the same as tapping with your finger."
Mac OS X 10.10 preview: features
When it comes to features, there's little solid evidence about what Apple has up its sleeve for Mac OS X 10.10. However, there have been some suggestions that we think are quite likely to be correct.
It's quite possible that Apple will bring Siri to the Mac with OS X 10.10, and several reports from around the web have suggested that Apple is working hard to do just that.
Additionally, it's been reported that Apple is working on making AirDrop work between the Mac and iPad and iPhone devices. AirDrop arrived on iOS with iOS 7, but was unable to communicate with the Mac version, so no dropping files from mobile to desktop or laptop yet. Perhaps OS X 10.10 will change that.
Another new feature that's been talked about is Control Centre. Maveicks already has Notification Centre, a feature that originated on iOS, so Control Centre could be next for quick and easy access to Mac features and settings.
For some food for thought about possible new features in OS X 10.10, visit our OS X 10.10 wishlist. There are some features we hope Apple doesn't include, though, which you'll find listed in our 8 features Apple should ditch article.
Mac OS X 10.10 preview: price
In a surprise move, Apple made OS X 10.9 Mavericks free when it arrived last year, so we think Apple will do the same again for Mac OS X 10.10.
If you want to find more about how to prepare your Mac for OS X 10.10 and whether or not your Mac will be able to run it, visit our 'Should I upgrade from Mavericks to OS X 10.10' article.
OUR VERDICT
The next version of Mac OS X could be the most exciting we've seen in a long time, if the rumours about a design overhaul prove to be true. It's not just the look of OS X we're excited about – AirDrop and Control Centre would make for great new additions to the feature set, and we're certain that's not all Apple has in store. Look out for our live stream of Apple's WWDC 2014 keynote on 2 June, where we'll be sharing all of the details of OS X 10.10 as Apple reveals them. Until then, you can let us know what you're hoping to see in OS X 10.10 in the comments section below.
