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Release record

macOS 10.6

Snow Leopard

Full article
Public release
Recorded milestones
2
Beta cycle
445d
Average interval
445d
Public release
Aug 28, 2009

Release notes

Overview

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

Release overview

Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6 went on sale August 28, 2009. Instead of centering its public story on a long list of new end-user applications, Apple framed the release around refinements, 64-bit system work, multicore and GPU developer technologies, QuickTime X, built-in Exchange support, accessibility, and a smaller installation footprint.[1][2]

Development and release

Apple previewed Snow Leopard to developers on June 9, 2008 and said it was expected in about a year. A June 2009 unveiling then announced a September target. The August 24 launch announcement superseded that schedule and established August 28 as the public-sale date; the local milestone labeled Beta 1 is therefore treated as a developer preview, not a public release page.[3][4][5]

Refinements and core technologies

The retained launch record confirms Finder, Mail, Time Machine, Dock, QuickTime X, Safari, storage-footprint, and 64-bit changes. Grand Central Dispatch and OpenCL expanded the platform's multicore and supported-GPU programming models, but their actual use depended on compatible processors and graphics hardware.[6][7]

Exchange integration

Mail, iCal, and Address Book gained built-in Exchange Server 2007 workflows for email, meetings, contacts, and global address lists. Supported Exchange data could also participate in Spotlight and Quick Look. Apple's retained specification narrows compatibility to Exchange Server 2007 SP1 Update Rollup 4 and requires Autodiscovery for automatic setup.[8][9]

Accessibility

Apple's June unveiling described VoiceOver navigation through a compatible Multi-Touch trackpad as new in Snow Leopard. The August 2009 accessibility template confirms the 10.6 scope, VoiceOver's built-in role, and gesture input on supported trackpads. The June page also announced wireless and multiple braille-display support, but that more specific claim is retained as article context rather than a structured change because it is not repeated in the surviving August template.[10][11]

Distribution and compatibility

Snow Leopard was sold for installation from DVD through Apple retail, authorized resellers, and online preorder channels. Apple offered a direct Leopard upgrade and a separate Mac Box Set route for Intel-based Tiger systems. The general installation baseline was an Intel Mac, 1 GB of memory, 5 GB of free storage, and a DVD drive, with further requirements attached to individual features.[12][13]

Performance-claim boundary

Mail, Time Machine, Safari, Finder, and disk-space statements are preserved as attributed Apple claims. The final August material supersedes June's different Mail, Time Machine, and space figures, and Apple's test footnotes warn that performance varies with hardware, network conditions, files, data sets, and other factors.[14][15]

Security and version boundary

No launch CVE group is inferred. Apple's archived 2008–2009 security chronology does not list Snow Leopard 10.6 on August 28; its first retained Snow Leopard system entry is 10.6.1 on September 10, followed by 10.6.2 on November 2. Those point releases have no existing local version route in this cohort and their fixes are not projected backward.[16]

Source ledger

References

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

  1. Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · August 28 availability and launch overview

    Back to text ↑
  2. Apple Unveils Mac OS X Snow Leopard

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-06-08T00:00:00.000Z · June product framing and accessibility overview

    Back to text ↑
  3. Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · August 24 announcement and August 28 sale date

    Back to text ↑
  4. Apple Unveils Mac OS X Snow Leopard

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-06-08T00:00:00.000Z · June 8, 2009 planned September availability

    Back to text ↑
  5. Apple Previews Mac OS X Snow Leopard to Developers

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2008-06-09T00:00:00.000Z · June 9, 2008 developer preview

    Back to text ↑
  6. Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard - Technical Specifications

    Apple Support · Apple · 2026-07-30 · Feature-specific requirements and key technologies

    Back to text ↑
  7. Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Launch refinements and core technologies

    Back to text ↑
  8. Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Exchange feature description

    Back to text ↑
  9. Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard - Technical Specifications

    Apple Support · Apple · 2026-07-30 · Feature-specific requirements; Exchange Support

    Back to text ↑
  10. Apple Unveils Mac OS X Snow Leopard

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-06-08T00:00:00.000Z · Accessibility feature announcement

    Back to text ↑
  11. Mac OS X version 10.6 Snow Leopard VPAT (8-2009)

    Apple Accessibility · Apple · 2026-07-30 · Pages 1–2 and 9–10; 10.6 scope, VoiceOver, and gesture support

    Back to text ↑
  12. Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard - Technical Specifications

    Apple Support · Apple · 2026-07-30 · General and feature-specific requirements

    Back to text ↑
  13. Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Pricing & Availability

    Back to text ↑
  14. Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Final performance claims and test footnotes

    Back to text ↑
  15. Apple Unveils Mac OS X Snow Leopard

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-06-08T00:00:00.000Z · June performance and storage claims

    Back to text ↑
  16. Apple security updates (15-Jan-2008 to 03-Dec-2009)

    Apple Support · Apple · 2026-07-30 · 2009 security table; 10.6.1 and 10.6.2 entries and absence of an August 28 entry

    Back to text ↑
  17. Apple security updates (15-Jan-2008 to 03-Dec-2009)

    Apple Support · Apple · 2026-07-30 · 2008–2009 security chronology

  18. Mac OS X version 10.6 Snow Leopard VPAT (8-2009)

    Apple Accessibility · Apple · 2026-07-30 · August 2009 Snow Leopard VPAT

  19. Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · August 24 announcement and August 28 availability

  20. Apple Unveils Mac OS X Snow Leopard

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-06-08T00:00:00.000Z · June 8, 2009 unveiling

  21. Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard - Technical Specifications

    Apple Support · Apple · 2026-07-30 · Snow Leopard technical specifications

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.

enhancement · changed

Faster initial Time Machine backup

documentedconfirmed

The launch material raised Apple's earlier pre-release estimate and reported an up-to-80-percent improvement for the first backup. It remains a qualified Apple test result, and Time Machine still required a separate drive or Time Capsule.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard - Technical Specifications · Feature-specific requirements; Time Machine
  2. [2] Apple Unveils Mac OS X Snow Leopard · June up-to-50-percent Time Machine claim
  3. [3] Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28 · Launch refinements and first performance-testing footnote

enhancement · changed

VoiceOver navigation with a Multi-Touch trackpad

documentedconfirmed

Apple's June unveiling identified trackpad navigation as a new Snow Leopard accessibility capability. Its August 2009 accessibility record confirms VoiceOver as the built-in screen reader and documents flick, drag, pinch, and tap input on Macs equipped with a Multi-Touch trackpad.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] Apple Unveils Mac OS X Snow Leopard · Accessibility features; VoiceOver and Multi-Touch
  2. [2] Mac OS X version 10.6 Snow Leopard VPAT (8-2009) · Pages 1–2 and 9–10; VoiceOver and Multi-Touch gesture support

compatibility · changed

Intel-only installation baseline

documentedconfirmed

The release's retained technical specification establishes the minimum computer, memory, storage, and installation-media requirements. Individual features imposed additional hardware, peripheral, network, or server requirements.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard - Technical Specifications · General requirements
  2. [2] Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28 · Pricing & Availability; Intel and memory baseline

enhancement · changed

Finder responsiveness refinements

documentedconfirmed

Apple presented Finder responsiveness as part of the release's system-wide refinement program. The claim remains attributed to Apple rather than being treated as an independent performance measurement.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28 · Launch refinements; responsive Finder

enhancement · changed

64-bit Safari 4

documentedconfirmed

Safari moved into the release's 64-bit system-application set. Apple's speed figure compared prerelease 64-bit and 32-bit Safari 4 with SunSpider and was explicitly subject to system, network, and other variables.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard - Technical Specifications · Feature-specific requirements; 64-bit support
  2. [2] Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28 · Safari refinement and second performance-testing footnote

enhancement · changed

Exchange data in Spotlight and Quick Look

documentedconfirmed

Exchange integration extended beyond the three client applications into OS X search and preview surfaces, allowing supported server-backed information to participate in established system workflows.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28 · Exchange support; Spotlight and Quick Look integration

compatibility · changed

64-bit platform support with 32-bit app compatibility

documentedconfirmed

Apple positioned the 64-bit work as a way to use larger memory configurations and improve platform performance and security without requiring existing 32-bit applications to disappear. Actual 64-bit support required a Mac with a 64-bit processor.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28 · 64-bit processor support and 32-bit app compatibility
  2. [2] Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard - Technical Specifications · Feature-specific requirements; 64-bit support

enhancement · changed

Exposé integration in the Dock

documentedconfirmed

The release connected window overview behavior to Dock interactions, making Exposé part of an existing application-launching and switching surface.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28 · Launch refinements; Dock and Exposé

feature · introduced

QuickTime X player

documentedconfirmed

QuickTime X consolidated common playback and lightweight creation tasks in a redesigned application. Movie capture depended on a compatible built-in or external camera, and hardware-accelerated H.264 playback required an NVIDIA 9400M graphics processor.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28 · Launch refinements; QuickTime X
  2. [2] Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard - Technical Specifications · QuickTime X movie capture and H.264 hardware-acceleration requirements

enhancement · changed

Safari plug-in crash resilience

documentedconfirmed

The browser was designed so a failing plug-in was less likely to take down the full Safari application. Apple's launch page confirms the resilience goal but does not supply a reproducible failure-rate comparison.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28 · Launch refinements; Safari plug-in resilience

developerApi · introduced

OpenCL general-purpose GPU computing

documentedconfirmed

OpenCL exposed a C-based, open-standard approach to general-purpose GPU work. Support was hardware-specific at launch: Apple's retained specification names a finite set of NVIDIA and ATI graphics processors rather than every Snow Leopard-compatible Mac.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] Apple Previews Mac OS X Snow Leopard to Developers · 2008 OpenCL preview
  2. [2] Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28 · Core technologies; OpenCL
  3. [3] Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard - Technical Specifications · Feature-specific requirements and key technologies; OpenCL

enhancement · changed

Mail loading performance

documentedconfirmed

The public announcement reported an up-to-two-times message-loading result from Apple's own prerelease comparison. Hardware, network, file size, data set, and other variables were explicitly identified as factors, so this is a vendor benchmark rather than a universal result.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] Apple Unveils Mac OS X Snow Leopard · June Mail performance figures
  2. [2] Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28 · Launch refinements and first performance-testing footnote

behavior · changed

64-bit system applications

documentedconfirmed

Several high-use built-in applications shipped as 64-bit software for the first time in Apple's OS X line. This claim is limited to the applications Apple named and does not imply that every included application was 64-bit.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28 · 64-bit system-application list

developerApi · introduced

Grand Central Dispatch

documentedconfirmed

Grand Central Dispatch supplied a system-level programming model intended to help software distribute work across multiple processor cores. Apple listed a multicore processor as a requirement for the technology.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] Apple Previews Mac OS X Snow Leopard to Developers · 2008 code-named Grand Central preview
  2. [2] Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28 · Core technologies; Grand Central Dispatch
  3. [3] Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard - Technical Specifications · Feature-specific requirements and key technologies; Grand Central Dispatch

compatibility · changed

Leopard and Tiger upgrade paths

documentedconfirmed

The initial release used retail and authorized-reseller distribution with online preorders and installation media, not a modern over-the-air rollout. Leopard users could buy Snow Leopard alone; eligible Tiger users were offered a bundle that also contained iLife '09 and iWork '09.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28 · Pricing & Availability; Leopard and Tiger upgrade paths
  2. [2] Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard - Technical Specifications · What's in the Box; installation DVD

Milestones

Release history

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

  2. +445 days

    Public release

    Public

    Full articleEditorially verified

    Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6 went on sale August 28, 2009 with documented system refinements, 64-bit and developer-platform work, QuickTime X, Exchange integration, accessibility improvements, and an Intel-only installation baseline.

    Availability
    available
    Sources
    53 linked
    Open this appearance

Historical context

Cycle comparison

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

Historical avg for .6 releases

53 days, 6.0 milestones

Based on 2 previous macOS .6 releases

Cycle vs. platform average

445d (avg: 91d)

354 days longer than the macOS average

Longest gap in this cycle

445 days

Between Beta 1 and Public

Previous .6 releases (macOS)

Previous comparable macOS releases
VersionYearCycleMilestonesAvg. Interval
macOS 26.6202662d710d
macOS 15.6202543d511d

Scroll horizontally to compare every historical field.

Official release notes