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Release record

macOS 10.15

Catalina

Full article
Public release
Recorded milestones
12
Beta cycle
126d
Average interval
11d
Public release
Oct 7, 2019

Release notes

Overview

Editorial synthesis with inline references and a source ledger when citations are available.

Release overview

macOS Catalina 10.15 became publicly available on October 7, 2019. It split iTunes into Music, Podcasts, and TV apps; introduced Sidecar, Voice Control, Screen Time, Apple Arcade on Mac, Mac Catalyst, Find My, and stronger system and data protections.[1][2]

Evidence boundary

The consumer feature record comes from Apple's launch announcement, developer compatibility details come from the 10.15 SDK notes, and vulnerability repairs come from the version-specific advisory. Later Catalina point-release changes and beta-only known issues are not projected onto 10.15.[3][4][5]

Source ledger

References

Sources are linked to the claims they support. Publication and access dates are shown when available.

  1. About the security content of macOS Catalina 10.15

    Apple Support · Apple · 2019-10-07T00:00:00.000Z · macOS Catalina 10.15 — Released October 7, 2019

    Back to text ↑
  2. macOS Catalina is available today

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2019-10-07T00:00:00.000Z · October 7, 2019; launch features; Availability

    Back to text ↑
  3. macOS Catalina 10.15 Release Notes

    Apple Developer · Apple · 2026-07-30 · macOS Catalina 10.15 Release Notes

    Back to text ↑
  4. About the security content of macOS Catalina 10.15

    Apple Support · Apple · 2019-10-07T00:00:00.000Z · macOS Catalina 10.15 security content

    Back to text ↑
  5. macOS Catalina is available today

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2019-10-07T00:00:00.000Z · macOS Catalina launch feature sections

    Back to text ↑
  6. About the security content of macOS Catalina 10.15

    Apple Support · Apple · 2019-10-07T00:00:00.000Z · Released October 7, 2019

  7. macOS Catalina is available today

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2019-10-07T00:00:00.000Z · UPDATE October 7, 2019

Documented & observed

Changes in this version

Source-linked features, fixes, known issues, removals, and community-observed behavior recorded across this version’s appearances and verified builds.

Release changes

Changed in this release

Features, fixes, removals, and regressions first observed in this release record.

security · introduced

Read-only system volume

documentedconfirmed

Catalina separated protected operating-system content from user data on a read-only system volume to reduce unintended or malicious modification.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] macOS Catalina is available today · Security and Privacy: More User Control Than Ever

feature · introduced

Sidecar extends the Mac desktop to iPad

documentedconfirmed

The new Sidecar workflow extended or mirrored a Mac workspace on iPad over wired or wireless connections and supported tablet-style Pencil input.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] macOS Catalina is available today · Sidecar: Expand Mac Workspace and Creativity with iPad

feature · introduced

Screen Time arrives on Mac

documentedconfirmed

The release brought device-use reporting and configurable limits to Mac, including cross-device settings and parental visibility through Family Sharing.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] macOS Catalina is available today · Screen Time: Monitor Mac Activity For The Entire Family

developerApi · introduced

Mac Catalyst app framework

documentedconfirmed

Catalina and Xcode 11 introduced the public Mac Catalyst path for bringing compatible iPad app code and interfaces to macOS.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] macOS Catalina is available today · Mac Catalyst: Even More Great Apps on Mac

feature · introduced

Apple Arcade on Mac

documentedconfirmed

Catalina added Apple Arcade's subscription catalog to Mac with cross-device game progress and support for common keyboard, mouse, and controller inputs.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] macOS Catalina is available today · Apple Arcade: Now on Mac App Store

compatibility · removed

32-bit app execution removed

documentedconfirmed

Catalina completed the transition away from 32-bit Mac app execution, requiring applications and embedded executable code to support 64-bit architectures.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] macOS Catalina 10.15 Release Notes · General — Deprecations

feature · introduced

Music, Podcasts, and TV replace iTunes

documentedconfirmed

Catalina divided iTunes' former media roles among dedicated Music, Podcasts, and TV apps while retaining access to existing libraries and store content.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] macOS Catalina is available today · New Entertainment Apps: Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and Apple TV

developerApi · changed

Network Kernel Extension API deprecated

documentedconfirmed

Apple marked the Network Kernel Extension API as deprecated, signaling developers to move network-system integrations to newer extension models.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] macOS Catalina 10.15 Release Notes · Networking — Deprecations

security · fixed

macOS Catalina 10.15 security repairs

documentedconfirmed

The launch repaired vulnerabilities across graphics and media parsing, networking and printing, privilege boundaries, the kernel, WebKit, and other system components.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] About the security content of macOS Catalina 10.15 · AMD; Audio; CFNetwork; CoreAudio; CUPS; Foundation; Graphics; Kernel; WebKit

feature · introduced

Combined Find My app and offline finding

documentedconfirmed

Catalina consolidated Apple's location tools and added privacy-preserving Bluetooth-assisted discovery for a missing compatible Mac that was not online.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] macOS Catalina is available today · Additional Features in macOS Catalina — Find My

security · introduced

Expanded app data permissions

documentedconfirmed

The release broadened consent controls around access to user files and paired them with stronger Gatekeeper checks of downloaded software.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] macOS Catalina is available today · Security and Privacy: More User Control Than Ever

feature · introduced

System-wide Voice Control

documentedconfirmed

Catalina added a voice-driven accessibility system with numbered and gridded controls for navigating apps and editing text without conventional input hardware.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] macOS Catalina is available today · Accessibility: Empowering Everyone to Get the Most from Their Mac

Milestones

Release history

Every recorded channel appearance in chronological order. Open an appearance for any available build, scope, notes, and sources.

  2. +14 days
  3. +15 days
  4. +15 days
  5. +14 days
  6. +19 days
  7. +9 days
  8. +13 days
  9. +13 days
  10. +7 days
  11. +3 days
  12. +4 days

    Public release

    Public

    Full articleEditorially verified

    macOS 10.15 reached the public channel on 2019-10-07. This article records Apple's version-labeled feature or maintenance notes and the accompanying first-party security record.

    Availability
    available
    Sources
    18 linked
    Open this appearance

Historical context

Cycle comparison

Pace, intervals, and duration compared with earlier releases on the same platform.

Cycle vs. platform average

126d (avg: 103d)

23 days longer than the macOS average

Longest gap in this cycle

19 days

Between Beta 5 and Beta 6

Official release notes