Since the debut of OS X 10.9 Mavericks in 2013, Apple has released 14 versions of macOS bearing the names of beaches, mountain ranges, islands, valleys, and landmarks from across the Golden State.
But what exactly is a Mavericks? Where is Sonoma? And how many Mac users could point to where Ventura or Tahoe on a map?
Curious myself, I decided to trace the history and real-world locations behind every California-inspired macOS release and the wallpapers used to market the them to the world. Enjoy.
I recall these OS naming announcements fondly. It was always a hoot to hear the tales of the “crack marketing team,” especially as I knew several of them. Those of us not disclosed on the new names would place bets on the new name ahead of release and be sorely disappointed when it wasn’t Oxnard, Fresno, or Chico. (Though I think macOS Napa or Pismo are still future options.)
Come for the history, stay for the photos of a very young Craig Federighi.