Eagerly-awaited by Apple's notoriously cultish followers, Leopard's release was delayed so the company's engineers could devote their time to getting iPhones to market in the United States in June.
Leopard features include playful "iChat" video-conferencing and a "Time Machine" that resurrects lost data.
Time Machine was inspired by a survey that indicated only 26 percent of Macintosh users regularly backed up information on their machines, to avoid losing it forever in system crashes.
The feature automatically copies music, pictures, applications, files, and "absolutely everything" a person puts on their Macintosh, according to Apple vice-president of platform experience Scott Forstall.
The operating system enables people to remotely search for files on all computers connected to their network.
Leopard also has simple tools for people to create "widget" applications that stream feeds such as news or syndicated cartoons from Web sites onto small windows on computer screens.
It includes improved text-reading, Braille support, and closed-captioning for people with disabilities.
Modifications to iChat allow people linked via Web cameras to share slide show presentations, playfully distort their pictures, or insert fake backdrops.
Rival Microsoft, whose software powers 90 percent of the world's computers, released its own new operating system, Vista, in January.
Apple has been leveraging the popularity of its market-dominating iPod MP3 players and innovative iPhones to build on its following of Macintosh users, according to industry analysts.
© 2007 Agence France-Presse
To add a comment,
Please log in:
Don't have an account?
Register now to comment on stories and stay up to date on important events and issues in the Middle East with our newsletter.