Apple OS X Yosemite Release Date, Beta Download: Final Version Rumored to Be Available For Developers

Sep 30, 2014 06:16 PM EDT

Apple's OSX Yosemite release date may be coming very soon, as developers can now download the golden master candidate of the new software.

News of the golden master candidate first broke out over at AppleInsider, a fan site devoted to Mac products. Technically, the golden master candidate is considered a pre-release version of OSX Yosemite. Still, this software variant represents the final form of the upcoming Mac operating system.

Curiously, Apple is also releasing a fourth public beta for OSX Yosemite on Tuesday, Sept. 30. Interested testers should first register on the official Apple sign-up page. Once the process is completed, participants will receive a redemption code via email. Using that code, beta testers can download the OS X Yosemite Beta 4 through the Mac App Store.

Before installing the public beta, participants will need to make sure that their Mac desktop is running OS X Mavericks 10.9 or later. Also, the hardware needs to have at least 2GB RAM as well as 8 GB of available disk space.

Unveiled back in June at WWDC 2014, OS X Yosemite will includes major changes to the user-interface as well as improvements to the operating system's functionality. On paper, OSX Yosemite desktop OS is designed to be seamlessly integrated with the iOS 8, which is the latest OS for Apple's mobile devices. In theory, this allows users alternate tasks from one device to another.

So far, the software has seen three public betas and eight developers preview. These developments suggest that an OSX Yosemite launch is becoming imminent. Generally speaking, OSX Yosemite is expected to reach stores sometime in October of this year.