We already know that Mac OS X Lion is being offered exclusively from the Mac App Store for just $29.99 in the US. While you’re getting 250 new features in return, there is a catch. The low price is essentially an upgrade price. Since you can only download it from the Mac App Store, you have to already be running Snow Leopard.
While Snow Leopard was also available as a $29 upgrade for Leopard users, others had the option to purchase it in-store. This time around, all indications from Apple are that anyone running an earlier OS will be left out in the cold.
That said, since you have to download Lion from the App Store, it means you will be able to install the OS on all of your authorized computers, with just the one purchase, a huge first for Apple. And if you bought a Mac any time after the 2011 WWDC announcement, you’re now eligible for a free upgrade to Lion from the App Store.
Mac OS X Lion Server is also available now, priced at $49.99.
So how much does it cost elsewhere? Apple is keeping it all within a similar price range, with slight changes accounting for tax, GST and anything else that relates to the country where it’s being sold.
The worldwide price range stays around the $30 mark, with Norwegian Apple users getting the highest price at an equivalent of about $37. The most significant drop in price comes to New Zealand, with Snow Leopard costing NZ$60, while Lion costs only NZ$38.99
Check out the list below if you want to know how much Lion costs in your country:
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Australia | A$31.99 including GST |
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Austria | €23.99 |
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Belgium | €23.99 |
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Canada | $29.99 |
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Denmark | DKK179 |
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Germany | €23.99 |
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Finland | €23.99 |
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France | €23.99 |
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Ireland | €23.99 |
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Italy | €23.99 |
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Japan | ¥2,600 |
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Mexico | $MN360 |
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Netherlands | €23.99 |
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New Zealand | NZ$38.99 including GST |
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Norway | NOK209 |
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Portugal | €23.99 |
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Spain | €23.99 |
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Sweden | SEK229 |
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Switzerland | CHF29 |
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UK | £20.99 |
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USA | $29.99 |
To find out what you need to do to get your computer ready for Lion, check out this handy list.
Update: Apple users who don’t have access to a broadband connection will be able to download the OS at Apple stores, or alternatively, Apple has confirmed that it can be purchased in August on a USB thumb drive for $69.
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