Bought a New Mac Recently? Get a Free Mountain Lion Upgrade

If you bought a new Mac in the last month and feel like you shouldn't have to pay for an upgrade to Apple's newest operating system, then we have good news for you — you don't.

Those who purchased a new Mac on or after June 11 can get a free copy of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, which is expected to be released this week, possibly as soon as tomorrow. As part of Apple's so-called "Up-to-Date Program," new Mac owners will have 30 days from the date Mountain Lion becomes available to request a complimentary upgrade.

Here are the details: The upgrade will be available at no additional cost to those who purchased a Mac system from Apple or an authorized Apple reseller between June 11 and the date Mountain Lion is released. Apple has set up a page where users can request their free copy of Mountain Lion once the updated OS becomes available. But make sure you request your copy right away, because the offer only lasts for 30 days.

Those who are not eligable for the Mountain Lion upgrade will have to pony up $19.99 for Mountain Lion.

Apple released a developer preview of Mountain Lion in February, and tipped a July final launch at last month's Worldwide Developer Conference. The company earlier this month, indicating that the final version of the OS is imminent.

The revamped OS includes more than 200 new features, from iCloud integration to a new silent updating option known as Power Nap, as well as 1,700 new APIs. The upgrade will be available to Macs running Snow Leopard and Lion.

For more details on OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, check out PCMag's in-depth Mountain Lion preview and 10 Things You Need to Know About Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion.