Autodesk announced on August 31st, 2010 that it is releasing AutoCAD for Mac after a long eighteen year absence beginning in 1992. It will become available for pre-order on September 1st, 2010.
The exact date of release has not yet been determined, but it is expected to be ready sometime during October 2010. Furthermore, Autodesk has released a free AutoCAD version for Apple's iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch which allows users to facilitate the editing and sharing of DWG drawings while traveling.
AutoCAD for Mac
AutoCAD for Mac includes all of the same familiar features and tools that customers are used to from the current PC version of AutoCAD. Current users should have no problems using the program since they're very similar. New users should be able to effectively use the application over time with its intuitive interface. The price of the upcoming Macintosh version will be the same as the PC version at $3,995.
The software and hardware requirements to run AutoCAD for Mac include a minimum of 2 GB of RAM (4 GB of RAM recommended), 1 GB free disk space for software installation, a US, UK, or France keyboard layout, and Mac OS X 10.6.4 or later.
A 30-day trial version is expected to become available along with the general release. Free downloads of the full version for AutoCAD for Mac will be available from the Autodesk Education Community to full-time students and faculty from secondary schools and postsecondary institutions such as community colleges, universities, technical schools, high schools, and professional degree programs.
Resurgence of the Mac
Autodesk likely made this move due to the resurgence of the Mac since the 1990s when it created the last previous native Mac version of AutoCAD. According to Gartner, the Mac represented 10% of all PC sales during the first quarter of 2011. The Mac market is growing much faster than the rest of the PC market.
For many users, the concern against choosing this software is the hardware cost of migrating from PC to Mac. A PC capable of running AutoCAD can be bought for $500. And PCs are fairly easy and inexpensive to upgrade. On the other hand, Apple Macs that are comparable to high performance PCs running AutoCAD are usually far more expensive and can't be upgraded. Because of this, AutoCAD for Mac could still be a tough sell among some engineers and designers even though the Mac community is excited about Autodesk's move today.
Free AutoCAD WS Mobile
Autodesk also announced a free mobile application called AutoCAD WS for Apple's iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. AutoCAD WS is simply a file reader and editor for DWG drawings. It facilitates simple edits and sharing of AutoCAD files on a small device. This free app makes it easier for architects and engineers to share and collaborate on files created by either the PC or the forthcoming Mac version. A designer or engineer could bring a mobile device instead of a big roll of paper drawings. AutoCAD WS will be ready sometime during fall 2010 from Apple's App Store.
