It’s been 20 years since Mac OS X went on sale: Here’s looking back

Twenty years ago, on March 24, 2001, Apple started allowing customers to buy the Mac OS X, the successor to the classic Mac OS. The first version of the Mac OS X, called the “Cheetah”, was distinct for its “Aqua” interface that had water bubble-style designs for everything from its windows to its buttons.

Since then to now, the Mac OS has undergone a sea of changes but it was with the Mac OS X that Apple took one of the biggest steps towards transforming from a company that was on the brink of failure to one of the most successful in the world. The Mac OS X preceded the launch of the first iPod and it heralded what was expected to come under Steve Jobs’ historic leadership.