Apple starts online sales of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion and 10.7 Lion for $20

Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Apple on Thursday initiated online voucher sales for two legacy OS X version, Mountain Lion and Lion, with the offering aimed at easing the process of upgrading older Mac hardware.

Mountain Lion


As noted by TechCrunch, Apple's decision to make the older OS X iterations available online is to make the upgrade process more convenient for owners of Macs not supported by the just-released OS X 10.9 Mavericks.

Although Mavericks boasts compatibility back to systems capable of running OS X Snow Leopard, compatibility issues still exist. Also, Apple only sells the most current version of OS X on the Mac App Store, meaning users wanting to purchase past iterations of the operating system had to purchase a copy from Apple over the phone.

For Mac owners who previously purchased and upgraded to either of the two operating systems, those downloads are still available in the Mac App Store. The vouchers will allow Leopard or Snow Leopard users to upgrade if they did not already do so.

Those interested in upgrading to Mountain Lion or Lion can purchase redemption codes through Apple's Online Store for $20 each. These codes can then be redeemed in the Mac App Store, where the actual download will take place.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 24
    Hmm... Interesting strategy. At this point, there really is no excuse (save for legacy software that simply will not run in Mavericks) to not upgrade.

    I'm absolutely loving Mavericks.
  • Reply 2 of 24
    christophbchristophb Posts: 1,482member
    Where are the 10.10 rumors!?
  • Reply 3 of 24
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    Find a friend with 10.6, 10.7, or 10.8. Why pay $20 for something thats technically free.
  • Reply 4 of 24
    applguyapplguy Posts: 235member
    macxpress wrote: »
    Find a friend with 10.6, 10.7, or 10.8. Why pay $20 for something thats technically free.

    That is quite honestly the cheapest thing I have ever heard and more trouble than it's worth for you or your friend.
  • Reply 5 of 24
    Cool. Have a black MacBook which I never got around to upgrading to Lion(EOR) before they took it down. Next move will be newer hardware!
  • Reply 6 of 24
    bdkennedy1bdkennedy1 Posts: 1,459member

    The keynote said that Snow Leopard users would be able to upgrade to Mavericks for free?

  • Reply 7 of 24
    bdkennedy1 wrote: »
    The keynote said that Snow Leopard users would be able to upgrade to Mavericks for free?

    That is still true.
  • Reply 8 of 24
    I updated my MBP 2008, Mac OS 10.5 directly to Mavericks. No troubles so far. I tried to update this MBP last year to ML, but I could not do it. Now I move to the newest OS for free!
  • Reply 9 of 24
    gtrgtr Posts: 3,231member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ChristophB View Post



    Where are the 10.10 rumors!?

     

    That it’ll be twice as free.

     

    What a bargain!

  • Reply 10 of 24
    I'm still on 10.4.11... and feel soooo out of the loop when reading Ai 8-/
  • Reply 10 of 24
    Unintentional duplicate message deleted!
  • Reply 12 of 24
    haarhaar Posts: 563member
    well mavericks is better!... so if you are running hardware that does not support mavericks, isolation that hardware from the internet, and buy new!... for mavericks, if not stay.

    i can not see any apple accessories not being compatible with Mavericks... if it is it is too old and the newer version of said hardware is alot better, (meaning aside from the price, the features would sell the new device)

    TL;DR.. lol, apple is doing this for the "customac" market... because anybody that has apple hardware that can't upgrade is satisfied that the apple computer they have, and does not need to upgrade...

    but, i would like to heard about examples of people NOT being able to update. because of incompatibilities... (not just "too expensive too replace hardware).
  • Reply 13 of 24
    I updated my four Macs pretty easily.

    The only thing I noticed was that iMovie would not update on my two 2007 machines.
    I believe these are the oldest Macs that support Mavericks, so I knew I was working on borrowed time.

    It gave a message about not being compatible with the graphics card :(
  • Reply 14 of 24
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post

    At this point, there really is no excuse (save for legacy software that simply will not run in Mavericks) to not upgrade.


     

    Particularly when anything that can run Mountain Lion can run Mavericks.

     

    Originally Posted by macxpress View Post

    Find a friend with 10.6, 10.7, or 10.8. Why pay $20 for something thats technically free.

     

    Because, if you noticed, none of those three are “technically” free, “really” free, or any other form of free.

     

    You’re stealing them. Stop being an idiot.

  • Reply 15 of 24
    blah64blah64 Posts: 993member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post

    Hmm... Interesting strategy. At this point, there really is no excuse (save for legacy software that simply will not run in Mavericks) to not upgrade.


    Actually, there are a few reasons.

    1) Yes, legacy software. One example, I have a machine with Photoshop cs2, which is the last version I will ever purchase because it's the last version before they started requiring phone-home spyware "activation" crap.

    2) Isolated lab machines are a pain in the ass because you cannot install stuff over the net. It's trivial to walk into the store and buy a CD/DVD/USBdrive from a trusted retailer (and I'm happy to spend the $). Not so easy to make someone else get a copy and then make a distribution DVD or USBdrive.

    3) Frankly, it's not Apple or anyone else's business to have my personal information attached to individual, traceable computers. So for my personal machines I will not use a credit or debit card to buy system software. Ever. If I want to upgrade any machine past 10.7 this forces me to pirate the OS, when I would be perfectly happy to pay for it.

    It's quite sad that so many people these days are using devices connected to the internet that in many ways are quite literally under the control of the manufacturers. This goes for iOS, Android, Windows phones, you name it. Desktop computers are getting more and more like that, although fortunately those of us that are technically savvy can at least still keep control of our desktop/laptop machines. Even for technically savvy IT types and developers, tablets and phones are extremely difficult to maintain user control over what goes in and out of your devices.
  • Reply 16 of 24
    blah64 wrote: »
    <div class="quote-container" data-huddler-embed="/t/160374/apple-starts-online-sales-of-os-x-10-8-mountain-lion-and-10-7-lion-for-20#post_2424446" data-huddler-embed-placeholder="false"><span>Quote:</span><div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>SpamSandwich</strong> <a href="/t/160374/apple-starts-online-sales-of-os-x-10-8-mountain-lion-and-10-7-lion-for-20#post_2424446"><img src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" class="inlineimg" alt="View Post"/></a><br/><br/>Hmm... Interesting strategy. At this point, there really is no excuse (save for legacy software that simply will not run in Mavericks) to not upgrade.<br /></div>

    Actually, there are a few reasons.

    1) Yes, legacy software. One example, I have a machine with Photoshop cs2, which is the last version I will <i>ever</i> purchase because it's the last version before they started <i>requiring</i> phone-home spyware "activation" crap.

    2) Isolated lab machines are a pain in the ass because you cannot install stuff over the net. It's trivial to walk into the store and buy a CD/DVD/USBdrive from a trusted retailer (and I'm happy to spend the $). Not so easy to make someone else get a copy and then make a distribution DVD or USBdrive.

    3) Frankly, it's not Apple or anyone else's business to have my personal information attached to individual, traceable computers. So for my personal machines I will not use a credit or debit card to buy system software. Ever. If I want to upgrade any machine past 10.7 this forces me to pirate the OS, when I would be perfectly happy to pay for it.

    It's quite sad that so many people these days are using devices connected to the internet that in many ways are quite literally under the control of the manufacturers. This goes for iOS, Android, Windows phones, you name it. Desktop computers are getting more and more like that, although fortunately those of us that are technically savvy can at least still keep control of our desktop/laptop machines. Even for technically savvy IT types and developers, tablets and phones are extremely difficult to maintain user control over what goes in and out of your devices.

    So...are you saying your computers are loaded with stolen software? Because that's the impression.
  • Reply 17 of 24
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post

     

    Particularly when anything that can run Mountain Lion can run Mavericks.


    That's what I was thinking.  Lion, I get.  There are a handful of products that cap out at 10.7- but why would anyone pay for ML when you can get Mavericks for free.  Moreover- Apple would want more people on Mavericks than Mountain Lion due to support aspects and the user experience.

    I'm all for selling and offering Lion- but I think they shouldn't have Mountain Lion available- because whats the advantage other than fragmentation?

     

    Side note: Please fix the webpage back gesture for the magic mouse on Mavericks.  It works on my touchpad but not on my magic mouse.  I can go forward, just not back.

  • Reply 18 of 24
    blah64blah64 Posts: 993member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post

    So...are you saying your computers are loaded with stolen software? Because that's the impression.


    No, I use mostly free and open source developer tools day-to-day (it's a wonderful day and age to be a developer), and other productivity tools that can be purchased at retail stores, like iWork, etc.

    However, I am saying that at some point it's possible that I will have no choice but to "side-load" an OS onto at least some computers if Apple provides no way to purchase other than online. If and when that proves to be the case, at least it looks like the OS itself will be free, so the notion of it being "stolen software" will be somewhat dubious -- unless you feel that the cost of owning a computer nowadays is that Apple (or any manufacturer) knows who and where you are (and to a degree, what you do).

    Lest anyone think I'm picking on Apple, they have historically been relatively consumer-friendly in this area, at least with desktop/laptop machines. Windows, Adobe, etc. have had, as I'm sure you all know, bullshit "activation" for years, and we don't even need to start on Google's entire business model. But at the end of the day, it should never, ever be required to submit personal information (and often ongoing tracking) to a manufacturer just to use their computers. If people want to do this in order to gain some (perceived) benefits, whatever, but hardware and software manufacturers are far too emboldened these days, requiring individuals to join their "borg collective" just to use their frickin' software or machines.
  • Reply 19 of 24
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by APPLGUY View Post





    That is quite honestly the cheapest thing I have ever heard and more trouble than it's worth for you or your friend.

     

    How is it more trouble? You're simply installing a newer OS to get 10.9. You're making a big deal out of nothing. All they'd really have to do is give you a 10.6 DVD. 

  • Reply 20 of 24
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post

     

    Particularly when anything that can run Mountain Lion can run Mavericks.

     

     

    Because, if you noticed, none of those three are “technically” free, “really” free, or any other form of free.

     

    You’re stealing them. Stop being an idiot.


     

    Its not stealing if its free. Stop being a fan boy about everything Apple. Simply borrowing a 10.6 DVD to get something thats free isn't stealing. I'm sure Apple really cares to begin with. If they did, they wouldn't be giving software away for free. 

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