Secure Your Own Snow Leopard Copy via Amazon

Amazon is now taking pre-orders for Snow Leopard, the next-generation operating system from Apple. Mac OS X 10.6 is scheduled to ship in September and starts at $29 for a single user license, and only as an upgrade from Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard.

Via 9to5Mac, other Amazon pricing options are listed below.

- 10.6 Snow Leopard: $29;
- Snow Leopard Family Pack (5-User): $49;
- Box Set (Snow Leopard including iWork and iLife): $169;
- Box Set Family Pack (5-User): $229;
- Snow Leopard Server version 10.6: $499.

An upgrade path alert for Snow Leopard customers is also posted on Amazon. The note says that only Apple OS X Leopard users are eligible for the Snow Leopard upgrade, while Tiger and earlier OS users will need to purchase either versions of the upgraded Mac Box Set. Additionally, customers must also note that packing an Intel processor is imperative for running Snow Leopard.

Amazon then lists Snow Leopard's main features, in order to entice potential customers to buy the product. As revealed by Apple itself, “Mac OS X Snow Leopard is built on a rock-solid, time-tested UNIX foundation that provides unparalleled stability as well as industry-leading support for Internet standards.”

“Improvements include a more responsive Finder, new look and features for Exposé and Stacks, quicker Time Machine backup, faster common tasks and installation, a smaller install footprint, and plenty more,” the online retailer says. Amazon offers free shipping and a Pre-order Price Guarantee. If the retailer's price decreases between the customer's order time and the end of the day of the release date, the buyer receives the lowest price.

Apple has also announced recently that buyers of a Macintosh or Xserve that is compatible with the system requirements of Snow Leopard can benefit from an even lower upgrade price. If they’ve purchased a qualifying computer or Xserve on or after June 8, 2009 that does not include Mac OS X Snow Leopard, they can upgrade to Mac OS X Snow Leopard for $9.95, the Mac maker reveals on its website. More details can be found here.

Also worth noting for those who plan on acquiring the Server version of Snow Leopard is that Apple now only offers one option for Snow Leopard Server instead of the 10-client and unlimited client.