OS X Yosemite
Version of the macOS operating system
The default desktop of OS X Yosemite
DeveloperApple Inc.
OS family
Source modelClosed, with open source components
General
availability		October 16, 2014; 9 years ago (2014-10-16)
Latest release10.10.5 (Build 14F2511)[2] / July 19, 2017; 6 years ago (2017-07-19)
Update methodMac App Store
Platformsx86-64
Kernel typeHybrid (XNU)
LicenseAPSL and Apple EULA
Preceded byOS X Mavericks
Succeeded byOS X El Capitan
Official websiteApple - OS X Yosemite - Overview at the Wayback Machine (archived August 28, 2015)
TaglineEvery bit as powerful as it looks.
Support status
Obsolete, unsupported as of August 2017. iTunes is no longer being updated, but is able to download driver updates to sync to newer devices.[3]
Part of a series on
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OS X Yosemite (/joʊˈsɛmɪti/ yoh-SEM-it-ee; version 10.10) is the eleventh major release of macOS, Apple Inc.'s desktop and server operating system for Macintosh computers.

OS X Yosemite was announced and released to developers on June 2, 2014, at WWDC 2014 and released to public beta testers on July 24, 2014. Yosemite was released to consumers on October 16, 2014.[4] Following the Northern California landmark-based naming scheme introduced with OS X Mavericks, Yosemite is named after the national park.

System requirements

All Macintosh products capable of running OS X Mountain Lion (v10.8.x) are able to run Yosemite as the two operating systems have the same requirements.[5] However, to take full advantage of the Handoff feature, additional minimum system requirements include a Mac with Bluetooth LE (Bluetooth 4.0). As with Mavericks and Mountain Lion, 2 GB of RAM, 8 GB of available storage, and Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.8 or later are required.

These are the models that are compatible with OS X Yosemite:

These are the models that support new features such as Handoff, Instant Hotspot as well as AirDrop between Mac computers and iOS devices:[6]

Features

Default wallpaper

The default desktop picture is an image of Half Dome.

Design

Yosemite introduced a major overhaul of OS X's user interface, emphasizing flat graphic design over skeuomorphism, following the aesthetic introduced with iOS 7. It is the first major redesign of the OS X user interface since 10.5 Leopard. Other changes include thinner fonts and blurred translucency effects. Some icons have been changed to correspond with those of iOS 7 and iOS 8. Yosemite maintains the OS X desktop metaphor.[7]

Other design changes include new icons, light and dark color schemes, and the replacement of Lucida Grande with Helvetica Neue as the default system typeface.[8][9][10] It was the only macOS version to use Helvetica Neue as the default typeface, as in El Capitan it was again changed, this time to Apple's own, newly-designed San Francisco typeface. The Dock is now a 2D translucent rectangle instead of a skeuomorphic glass shelf, reminiscent of the Dock design used in early versions of OS X through Tiger and in iOS since iOS 7.

Continuity

See also: Ubiquitous computing

Many of Yosemite's new features focus on the theme of "continuity", increasing its integration with other Apple platforms and services such as iOS and iCloud.[11] The Handoff functionality allows the operating system to integrate with iOS 8 devices over Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi; users can place and answer phone calls using their iPhone as a conduit, send and receive text messages, activate personal hotspots, or load items being worked on in a mobile app (such as Mail drafts or Numbers spreadsheets) directly into their desktop equivalent.[11]

Notification Center

Notification Center features a new "Today" view, similar to that in iOS. The Today view can display information and updates from various sources, along with widgets.[8][9] The widgets in the Today view are similar to those of iOS 8.

Photos

As of OS X 10.10.3, Photos replaces both iPhoto and Aperture.[12] It uses iCloud Photo Library to upload all the user's photos across their devices.

Other

Spotlight is a more prominent part of the operating system; it now displays its search box in the center of the screen and can include results from online sources, including Bing, Maps, and Wikipedia.[8] Stock applications such as Safari and Mail have been updated.[13] In particular, many security features have been added to Safari, such as a custom history clearing option that lets users clear history, cookies, and other data from the previous hour, day, or two days. In addition, Apple added DuckDuckGo to its search offerings, a non-tracking search engine that doesn’t store users’ data.[14] Safari allows you to remotely close tabs from an iOS device.[15] Safari now supports browsing in private browsing mode with certain windows (as opposed to all the windows having to be either in or out of private browsing).[16]

The green "zoom" button on windows now has a different function in applications that support full-screen mode. Instead of simply enlarging the window, the button now enters full-screen mode, eliminating the full-screen button at the top-right corner of windows that has been present since Mac OS X Lion. However, holding the Option key (⌥) while clicking the zoom button or double-clicking on the window chrome continues to invoke the original behavior.[17]: 123–124 

JavaScript for Automation (JXA) is the new system-wide support for scripting with JavaScript, built upon JavaScriptCore and the Open Scripting Architecture.[18] It features an Objective-C bridge which enables entire Cocoa applications to be programmed in JavaScript.[19]

Along with other framework changes, CloudKit was integrated in this release.[20] CloudKit functions as a Mobile Backend as a Service (MBaaS) and is one method for app developers to integrate access to Apple’s iCloud servers into their apps.[21]

There is a "dark mode" in System Preferences which makes the Dock and menu bar darker.[15]

Beta testing

Apple initiated a new public beta program for OS X, a practice not seen with its operating systems since 2000's US$29.95 Mac OS X Public Beta, which had preceded the release of Mac OS X v10.0. Yosemite is part of the OS X Beta Seed Program, a public program that allows the first 1 million[22] users to download and test the Yosemite beta at no charge. Beta testers are required to acknowledge the potential risks involved with prerelease software, and sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).[23] The program began releasing Public Betas on July 24, 2014.[24] Six public betas of Yosemite were released.

Reception

On release, Yosemite received positive reviews, with users praising the simplified user interface. Programmer John Siracusa, who had reviewed every OS release, wrote for Ars Technica that "Yosemite is an aesthetic one-way valve... switching back to Mavericks after a week or two in Yosemite is like returning to iOS 6. Everything looks embarrassingly chunky, glossy, and gaudy."[25] Macworld's review generally praised Yosemite for its design, but noted that it had found WiFi network issues and that Continuity had proved unreliable.[26]

Yosemite faced problems with network stability and the discoveryd DNS program. Because of this, Apple replaced discoveryd with the mDNSResponder system (used in Mavericks) in 10.10.4.[27] Another notable bug experienced on Yosemite was the 'Unicode of death' problem, following a similar bug in 2013, in which a meaningless Arabic text string could crash applications using the system text-display APIs.[28] Some users who upgraded to Yosemite complained that the Finder fails to show the contents of folders.[29]

Spotlight on Yosemite by default reports the user's current location (at the city level) and all their search queries to Apple and third parties.[30][31][32][33] Reporting by Spotlight can be disabled by the user, although, even if this is done, the Safari web browser will continue to send search terms to Apple unless the function is separately disabled.

Release history

Version Build Date Darwin version Release notes Standalone download
10.10 14A389 October 16, 2014 14.0 Original Mac App Store release —
10.10.1 14B25 November 17, 2014 About the OS X Yosemite v10.10.1 Update OS X Yosemite 10.10.1 Individual update
10.10.2 14C109 January 27, 2015 14.1 About the OS X Yosemite v10.10.2 Update OS X Yosemite 10.10.2 Individual update
OS X Yosemite 10.10.2 Combo update
14C1510 March 9, 2015 About Security Update 2015-002 Yosemite Security Update 2015-002 Yosemite
14C2043 Forked build for the Early 2015 MacBook Air Security Update 2015-002 Yosemite (Early 2015 Mac)
14C1514 March 19, 2015 About Security Update 2015-003 Yosemite Security Update 2015-003 Yosemite
14C2513 Security Update 2015-003 Yosemite (Early 2015 Mac)
10.10.3 14D131 April 8, 2015 14.3 About the OS X Yosemite v10.10.3 Update OS X Yosemite 10.10.3 Individual update
OS X Yosemite 10.10.3 Combo update
14D136 April 16, 2015 Supplemental Update
Fixes issue with video driver issue that may prevent Mac from starting up when running certain apps that capture video 		OS X Yosemite 10.10.3 Supplemental Update 1.0
10.10.4 14E46 June 30, 2015 14.4 About the OS X Yosemite v10.10.4 Update OS X Yosemite 10.10.4 Individual update

OS X Yosemite 10.10.4 Combo update

10.10.5 14F27 August 13, 2015 14.5 About the OS X Yosemite v10.10.5 Update OS X Yosemite 10.10.5 Individual update
OS X Yosemite 10.10.5 Combo update
14F1021 October 21, 2015 About the security content of Security Update 2015-004 Yosemite Security Update 2015-004 Yosemite
14F1505 November 12, 2015 About the security content of Security Update 2015-005 Yosemite Included in Security Update 2015-006 Yosemite
14F1509 December 11, 2015 About the security content of Security Update 2015-006 Yosemite Security Update 2015-006 Yosemite
14F1605 January 19, 2016 About the security content of Security Update 2016-001 Yosemite Security Update 2016-001 Yosemite
14F1713 March 21, 2016 About the security content of Security Update 2016-002 Yosemite Security Update 2016-002 Yosemite
14F1808 May 18, 2016 About the security content of Security Update 2016-003 Yosemite Security Update 2016-003 Yosemite
14F1909 July 18, 2016 About the security content of Security Update 2016-004 Yosemite Security Update 2016-004 Yosemite
14F1912 September 1, 2016 About the security content of Security Update 2016-005 Yosemite Included in Security Update 2016-006 Yosemite
14F2009 October 24, 2016 About the security content of Security Update 2016-006 Yosemite Security Update 2016-006 Yosemite
14F2109 December 13, 2016 About the security content of Security Update 2016-007 Yosemite Security Update 2016-007 Yosemite
14F2315 March 27, 2017 About the security content of Security Update 2017-001 Yosemite Security Update 2017-001 Yosemite
14F2411 May 15, 2017 About the security content of Security Update 2017-002 Yosemite Security Update 2017-002 Yosemite
14F2511 July 19, 2017 About the security content of Security Update 2017-003 Yosemite Security Update 2017-003 Yosemite

Timeline of Mac operating systems

Timeline of Mac operating systems
ARM architecture familyx86PowerPC68kMacBook Air (Apple silicon)iMac ProRetina MacBook ProMacBook AirApple–Intel architecturePower Mac G5Power Mac G4iMac G3Power MacintoshMacintosh QuadraMacintosh PortableMacintosh SE/30Macintosh IIMacintosh PlusMacintosh 128KmacOS SonomamacOS VenturamacOS MontereymacOS Big SurmacOS CatalinamacOS MojavemacOS High SierramacOS SierraOS X El CapitanOS X YosemiteOS X MavericksOS X Mountain LionMac OS X LionMac OS X Snow LeopardMac OS X LeopardMac OS X TigerMac OS X PantherMac OS X 10.2Mac OS X 10.1Mac OS X 10.0Mac OS X Server 1.0Mac OS X Public BetaA/UXA/UXA/UXMacWorks XLMacWorks XLSun RemarketingMacWorks XLMac OS 9Mac OS 9Mac OS 9Mac OS 8Mac OS 8Mac OS 8Mac OS 8System 7System 7System 7System 7System 6Classic Mac OSClassic Mac OSClassic Mac OSClassic Mac OSSystem 1Finder (software)Finder (software)Finder (software)Finder (software)Finder (software)Finder (software)Finder (software)

References

  1. ^ "OS X version 10.10 Yosemite on Intel-based Mac computers". The Open Group. Archived from the original on November 10, 2014. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
  2. ^ "OS X Yosemite". Mac App Store. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  3. ^ "iTunes – Apple". Archived from the original on November 7, 2006. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  4. ^ "Apple – OS X Yosemite – Overview". Apple Inc. (US). Archived from the original on July 16, 2013. OS X Yosemite. Coming this fall.
  5. ^ "PSA: The iDevices and Macs that will support iOS 8 and OS X 10.10". Ars Technica. June 2, 2014. Archived from the original on June 3, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  6. ^ "OS X Yosemite: supported devices for Handoff, Instant Hotspot, Phone Calling, SMS, and AirDrop". Apple. Archived from the original on December 10, 2014. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  7. ^ "OS X Yosemite – Design". Apple Inc. Archived from the original on January 3, 2015.
  8. ^ a b c "OS X Yosemite: Apple's latest desktop OS works even better with your iPhone". Engadget. Archived from the original on June 3, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  9. ^ a b "OS X Yosemite unveiled at WWDC, features big UI overhaul". Ars Technica. June 2, 2014. Archived from the original on June 3, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  10. ^ "Apple Changes OS X's Main Font For The First Time Ever". Fast Co Design. June 2, 2014. Archived from the original on October 16, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  11. ^ a b "OS X Yosemite – Mac + iOS Continuity". Apple. Archived from the original on November 11, 2014. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  12. ^ Gibbs, Samuel (April 16, 2015). "Upgrading from iPhoto or Aperture to Apple's Photos? Read this". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on May 27, 2018. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
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  14. ^ John Patrick Pullen (October 21, 2014). "These Are the 5 Coolest Features of OS X Yosemite". Time Inc. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014.
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  16. ^ "OS X Yosemite: Get to know the new, slimmed-down Safari". Macworld. Archived from the original on January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
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  18. ^ "JavaScript for Automation". MacStories. Archived from the original on September 19, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
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  22. ^ "OS X Beta Program". Apple Inc. Archived from the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
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  26. ^ Haslam, Karen. "Yosemite review". Macworld. Archived from the original on August 19, 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  27. ^ "Latest OS X beta ditches buggy discoveryd DNS service, replaced with mDNSResponder". Apple Insider. Archived from the original on August 24, 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  28. ^ Thomson, Iain. "That EVIL TEXT that will CRASH your iPhone: We pop the hood". The Register. Archived from the original on August 22, 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
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  30. ^ "Fix Mac OS X Yosemite initiative". Archived from the original on October 20, 2014. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
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  33. ^ Leyden, John (October 20, 2014). "FYI: OS X Yosemite's Spotlight tells Apple EVERYTHING you're looking for". The Register. Archived from the original on October 21, 2014. Retrieved October 22, 2014.

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Preceded byOS X 10.9 (Mavericks) OS X 10.10 (Yosemite) 2014 Succeeded byOS X 10.11 (El Capitan)
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