Apple today shipped iOS 6, an upgrade that replaces Google Maps with Apple's own mapping technology and turn-by-turn GPS navigation.
The company also released OS X 10.8.2, an update for Mountain Lion, shortly after 1 p.m. ET.
Apple shipped the iOS 6 upgrade Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET, as expected.
Computerworld immediately began retrieving both iOS 6 and OS X 10.8.2, and in the initial stages, the downloads proceeded with little sign of stress on Apple's servers.
On Apple's support forums, there were dozens of messages announcing the availability of iOS 6 and OS X 10.8.2, but none that reported technical problems retrieving the upgrades. Some users, however, noted that their iPhones were taking longer-than-expected at the "Preparing Update" screen or that download speeds had quickly slowed, hinting at high traffic volumes.
iOS 6, which also powers the new iPhone 5 that Apple introduced last week, is a free upgrade for owners of the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S; iPad 2 and the new iPad launched in March 2012; and the fourth-generation iPod Touch that debuted two years ago.
Apple introduced iOS 6 in June at its annual developers conference, where Scott Forstall, Apple's top executive for iOS development, highlighted a handful of new features, including Apple's mapping technology, an enhanced version of the Siri voice-activated digital assistant, tight integration with Facebook and Passbook, a boarding pass and ticket manager.
iOS 6 adds Siri, Apple's voice-activated digital assistant, to one older device, the third-generation iPad.
OS X 10.8.2 includes Facebook integration for Mountain Lion, several new languages -- including Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, Korean and Italian -- in the operating system's Dictation feature, and Power Nap support for older MacBook Air notebooks first released in late 2010.
Apple launched Mountain Lion in July. By Sept. 1, the $20 upgrade had been snared by 20% of all Mac owners.
iOS 6 drops Google Maps in favor of Apple's own technology, and for the first time, turn-by-turn GPS directions.
The iPhone 5 and fifth-generation iPod Touch will have iOS 6 pre-installed. Both those devices go on sale in Apple's retail stores on Friday, Sept. 21. Pre-ordered units, meanwhile, are winging their way to customers, according to reports from buyers tracking the progress of their purchases through the delivery pipeline.
iOS 6 weighs in at 888MB, about 15% larger than last year's iOS 5, while OS X 10.8.2 is a 365MB download.
iOS 6 can be downloaded over the air from iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches, or through iTunes. OS X 10.8.2 is available by selecting "Software Update..." from the Apple menu, or by opening the Mac App Store application and clicking the Update icon at the top right of the screen.
