A ready-to-roll-out version of Apple's Mac OS X Lion has been released for Mac developers, in a sign that the actual release of the newest version of Apple operating system will happen within days.

Citing unnamed sources, Christian Post has said OS X, the latest version of the technology giant's desktop and server operating system for Macintosh computers, could be released on July 6 or 14.

'Gold master' is the name Apple gives to products that are in the final preparatory stage preceding the release.

Besides supporting Apple's new iCloud services, the Mac OS X Lion sports more than 250 new features and 3,000 new developer APIs. Apple had promised the new version will be available to customers in July as a download from the Mac App Store for $29.99.

Mac OS X Lion also includes the Mac App Store, the best place for users to discover, purchase, and download your apps.

Apple is expected to bring in the fluid, responsive animations that create the magical user experience on iPad and iPhone on Mac OS X Lion.

Other major features expected in the Lion are full screen apps that provide an immersive, focused user experience with a full screen app, overlay scrollbars similar to those in iOS, and Auto Save and Versions, a feature that stores changes to the working document instead of creating additional copies on a disk.

Also included will be features like file coordination, sandboxing and privilege separation and resume. Another exciting new features is the Air Drop feature, an innovative way to share files between computers. Apple's VP of Product Marketing Phil Schiller hailed it as a replacement for the USB thumb drive.”

MUST READ: Apple OS X Lion: Top 10 features that will blow you away

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