While there’s still hope that OS X Lion will drop today, the chances are slim. Previous speculation was that Apple would announce Lion alongside new Mac hardware today, but that hasn’t seemed to pan out just yet.
So when is it coming? We’ve received a tip that claims a July 26th Lion launch date, seemingly confirming a similar report earlier today… and our tipster received his word straight from an Apple Store Genius’s mouth.
Reader Stephen writes:
“So last week, I was at an Apple store in Houston buying a new iPad. The employee training me said, “And when Lion comes out on the 26th, then you can do a whole lot with your Mac and your iPad.” He said it with such confidence, it might actually be true–and I didn’t even ask him about the release date; he said it in a very non-chalant way.”
Take this tip with a grain of salt, as one Apple employee’s word doesn’t mean a definite launch date. However, this does line up perfectly with the other rumors of a July 26th Lion and Apple hardware launch. Also, while a Genius is hardly an authoritative source, it should be noted that he said that Apple would release Lion on the 26th with a great deal of certitude a week before the Internet began tipping that date as possible.
As we previously noted, Apple’s updated MacBook Airs, white MacBooks, and Mac minis could be the reason that Lion was delayed today. Retailers in the US are still waiting for Apple’s new hardware to ship. Apple is probably waiting to ship Lion on its new hardware, so we expect a simultaneous launch of new software and hardware in a couple weeks. Apple promised that Lion would be out by July, so there’s still plenty of time left.
Don’t lose hope. The Lion will roar… eventually.
