Signs point to OS X Mountain Lion launch on July 25
Apple will be holding "overnights" in its stores on July 24 to prepare for a July 25 launch of Mountain Lion, according to a new report.
Apple could be planning to launch OS X Mountain Lion on July 25, according to a new report.
According to 9to5Mac, citing sources, Apple has informed some employees at its retail stores that they'll need to plan for an "overnight" on July 24. Overnights have become a key indicator that something new is coming to Apple's retail stores. Overnights mean that employees work outside their stores' open hours to prepare their location for the next day's new sale. Generally, that means Macs, iPhones, or iPads -- but not always.
If 9to5Mac's sources are to be believed, this time around it means OS X Mountain Lion.
Apple has publicly said that it plans to launch Mountain Lion in July, and the operating system recently went gold, meaning it's finished and ready for launch. What's not clear, however, is why Apple would require overnight work for its stores when the company's operating system will be available to current Mac owners via digital download. Apple is not launching hardware with the operating system, and as 9to5Mac points out, it might only be "a few guys running around with the master image installing it on every Mac" in the store, seemingly making overnights unnecessary.
Aside from the overnights offering some proof, 9to5Mac points out that Apple plans to hold its third-quarter earnings call on July 24. Last year, when it held its earnings call on July 19, it announced that it would launch OS X Lion on July 20. The Apple blog believes the iPhone maker will follow the same path with Mountain Lion.
Whenever Mountain Lion launches, the operating system will deliver over 200 updates, including the addition of Notification Center and Messages. The upgrade will be available for $19.99.
CNET has contacted Apple for comment on the 9to5Mac report. We will update this story when we have more information.