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Release appearance

macOS 10.6 Public

Full article
Public release

Recorded context

About this appearance

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.

Date
Aug 28, 2009
Availability
available
Revision
No

Release notes

What changed

Original editorial synthesis. Linked references appear with the claims they support and in the source ledger.

Public release

Apple announced on August 24 that Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6 would go on sale Friday, August 28 through its retail stores and authorized resellers, with online preorders already open. That dated announcement controls this public event and replaces the June plan to ship in September.[1][2]

Confirmed shipped scope

The structured entries cover the retained launch record's Finder, Mail, Time Machine, Dock, QuickTime X, Safari, installed-size, 64-bit, Grand Central Dispatch, OpenCL, Exchange, VoiceOver trackpad, installation, and upgrade-path claims. Technical specifications supply hardware and service limits where the launch announcement is broad.[3][4][5][6]

Developer preview versus public evidence

The June 9, 2008 milestone is explicitly documented by Apple as a developer preview. Its planned technologies provide development context, but no article, build number, beta change set, or public availability is attached to that non-public milestone. Only claims confirmed again by launch-era sources appear as public structured changes.[7][8][9]

Pre-release figures superseded

Apple's June and August pages use different benchmark and storage numbers. The June page reported separate Mail loading and search figures, an up-to-50-percent initial Time Machine improvement, and up to 6 GB recovered after installation; the final announcement instead reported Mail loading up to twice as fast, Time Machine up to 80 percent faster, and up to 7 GB recovered. The public entries use the later figures and keep both sets identified as Apple-authored claims.[10][11]

Hardware and service limits

Installing the system required an Intel Mac, 1 GB of memory, 5 GB of free space, and a DVD drive. OpenCL, 64-bit operation, Grand Central Dispatch, QuickTime capture and acceleration, Time Machine, and Exchange each had additional requirements, so the existence of a release-level feature does not imply support on every eligible Mac or server environment.[12]

Accessibility evidence boundary

VoiceOver trackpad navigation is included because Apple's June announcement identifies the integration as new and its August 2009 10.6 accessibility record documents both VoiceOver and Multi-Touch gesture input on supported hardware. The announcement's separate wireless and multiple braille-display statements are not promoted into structured changes because the retained August template does not repeat those specific claims.[13][14]

Version and security boundary

This page represents 10.6 only. Apple's archived security index first lists 10.6.1 on September 10 and 10.6.2 on November 2, while listing no Snow Leopard launch security entry on August 28. Neither point version exists as a local releaseVersion route, so this bundle creates neither and imports no later fixes or build identity.[15]

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 · Public-sale date and distribution channels

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-06-08T00:00:00.000Z · Superseded September availability plan

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

    Apple Accessibility · Apple · 2026-07-30 · 10.6 accessibility and gesture record

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

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

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

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

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-06-08T00:00:00.000Z · VoiceOver and Multi-Touch announcement

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2008-06-09T00:00:00.000Z · Developer-preview framing and planned scope

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Final public scope and availability

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

    Apple Support · Apple · 2026-07-30 · Retained 10.6 technical scope

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Final performance and space figures

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-06-08T00:00:00.000Z · June performance and space figures

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

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

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

    Apple Accessibility · Apple · 2026-07-30 · Pages 1–2 and 9–10; VoiceOver and supported trackpad gestures

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-06-08T00:00:00.000Z · VoiceOver, Multi-Touch, and braille statements

    Back to text ↑
  15. 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 chronology

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2008-06-09T00:00:00.000Z · 2008 code-named Grand Central preview

    Used only to document the technology's pre-launch development trail.

  17. Apple Previews Mac OS X Snow Leopard to Developers

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2008-06-09T00:00:00.000Z · 2008 OpenCL preview

    Used only as development context for the launch-confirmed technology.

  18. Apple security updates (15-Jan-2008 to 03-Dec-2009)

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

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · 64-bit processor support and 32-bit app compatibility

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · 64-bit system-application list

  21. Apple Unveils Mac OS X Snow Leopard

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-06-08T00:00:00.000Z · Accessibility features; VoiceOver and Multi-Touch

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

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

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

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

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Core technologies; Grand Central Dispatch

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Core technologies; OpenCL

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Exchange support; Address Book and global address lists

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Exchange support; iCal and meeting invitations

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Exchange support; Mail

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Exchange support; Spotlight and Quick Look integration

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

    Apple Support · Apple · 2026-07-30 · Feature-specific requirements and key technologies; Grand Central Dispatch

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

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

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

    Apple Support · Apple · 2026-07-30 · Feature-specific requirements; 64-bit support

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

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

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

    Apple Support · Apple · 2026-07-30 · Feature-specific requirements; Time Machine

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

    Apple Support · Apple · 2026-07-30 · General requirements

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Installed-size and up-to-7-GB statement

  37. Apple Unveils Mac OS X Snow Leopard

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

  38. Apple Previews Mac OS X Snow Leopard to Developers

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

  39. Apple Unveils Mac OS X Snow Leopard

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-06-08T00:00:00.000Z · June Mail performance figures

    The June figures were pre-release claims and are retained only as superseded context; the August launch statement controls.

  40. Apple Unveils Mac OS X Snow Leopard

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-06-08T00:00:00.000Z · June up-to-50-percent Time Machine claim

    Included only to document the figure superseded by the final announcement.

  41. Apple Unveils Mac OS X Snow Leopard

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-06-08T00:00:00.000Z · June up-to-6-GB statement

    Included only as a superseded pre-release figure.

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Launch refinements and first performance-testing footnote

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Launch refinements; Dock and Exposé

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Launch refinements; QuickTime X

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Launch refinements; responsive Finder

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Launch refinements; Safari plug-in resilience

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

    Apple Accessibility · Apple · 2026-07-30 · Pages 1–2 and 9–10; VoiceOver and Multi-Touch gesture support

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Pricing & Availability; Intel and memory baseline

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Pricing & Availability; Leopard and Tiger upgrade paths

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

    Apple Support · Apple · 2026-07-30 · QuickTime X movie capture and H.264 hardware-acceleration requirements

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

    Apple Newsroom · Apple · 2009-08-24T00:00:00.000Z · Safari refinement and second performance-testing footnote

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

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

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

    Apple Support · Apple · 2026-07-30 · What's in the Box; installation DVD

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.

  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.

  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

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.

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

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.

  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.

  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.

  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.

  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.

  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.

  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.

  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.

  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.

  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.

  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