Apple OS X Mavericks Will Most Likely Debut In October

The next-generation of Apple’s Mac operating system, OS X 10.9 Mavericks, will be released later than originally expected and is currently due in late October, various media outlets reported on Friday.

Citing sources familiar with the Cupertino, California-based tech giants launch plans, Mark Gurman of 9to5Mac said that the news comes despite speculation that OS X Mavericks would be released alongside iOS 7 before the end of the month.

Currently, the new mobile operating system is expected to become available alongside the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C later on this month, but there is speculation that its launch could also be pushed back until October, he added.

“Though a firm Mavericks launch date couldn’t be learned, it’s possible that Apple may plan to ship the OS after it next reports earnings, something it did with both OS X Lion in 2011 and OS X Mountain Lion,” All Things D’s John Paczkowski speculated. He added that the new Mac OS launch could also debut alongside the company’s new desktop hardware, including the forthcoming Mac Pro, iMacs and MacBook Pros that feature Intel’s Haswell processors.

Apple had never officially confirmed an exact date for the release of OS X 10.9, only committing to a fall 2013 launch window, according to Darrell Etherington of TechCrunch. Obviously, October would still fall within that launch window, but as CNET’s Don Reisinger emphasizes, the company has not committed to an official date.

“Mavericks brings an enhanced Finder, better multimonitor support, a standalone iBooks application, and improved power management to OS X-powered Macs,” Etherington said. “Developers using the preview claim that the latest builds feel very stable, though some suggest the latest version is a slight step backwards over the previous release. Either way, some had interpreted its stability as a sign of impending release, but these latest reports suggest users will be waiting a bit longer.”

Apple is set to host a special event next Tuesday. While new model iPhones are expected to be the primary focus of that event, Reisinger believes that it is possible that Apple could announce information about Mavericks and other products as well. Mavericks was officially announced in June and is currently in a beta testing phase.