There’s a Tiger on the prowl, and it could be coming to your neighborhood sooner than later. “Tiger” is the nickname given to Mac OS 10.4, the largest and most comprehensive update yet to Apple’s powerful UNIX-based operating system. Apple’s official word on Tiger’s “uncaging” is “the first half of CY 2005”. As is sometimes the case, the “first half of CY 2005” could mean a release date of 30 June 2005. It still could be a “summer in the jungle”, but there are indications that Tiger will make its way into Apple Stores and other resellers sometime in April.

Now-infamous rumor website “Think Secret” (who accurately “pre-reported” most of the closely-held Apple announcements at January’s MacWorld Expo) is now reporting that Apple will hold an event on/around April 1st to show off Tiger, and that users will find the $129.99 upgrade in stores on April 15th. Think Secret’s prognostications carry more weight these days because their “company sources” providing the MacWorld information turned out to be very credible. So credible, in fact, that Apple has filed suit to find out just who revealed their “trade secrets” from within. But that’s another story altogether.

Normally, reports from Mac rumor sites need to be taken with a grain of salt. Actually, more of a boulder of salt. But “legitimate” computer news organization eWeek is now reporting the April release dates, citing information from their “company sources”. Other clues to the April release date are emerging.

More frequent builds of the system released to developers. Apple, in required financial filings, doubling its estimates of software sales by the end of May. The planned release of Tiger-only applications at the National Association of Broadcasters’ convention on April 18th. And, information that eMacs and iMacs will be released in mid-April with Tiger pre-installed. Amazon.com has off-and-on listed April 18th as a release date for Tiger.

Truth is, only the folks at Apple really know when the Tiger will be unleashed. Perhaps the April 1st (Fool’s Day) date is a cruel joke. Perhaps Apple released this date to selected employees to see where a leak may have sprung. Perhaps there will really be long lines at Apple Stores on the 15th.

Whatever the case, Tiger will be well worth the price of admission. I’ll be expanding on that in the weeks to come as I cover Tiger’s exciting new capabilities in-depth in this space.

© 2005 Peter F. Zimowski