Apple today kicked off its OS X “Apple Seed” beta-test program, enabling 1 million people to test-drive OS X Yosemite before it officially launches this fall.

Apple first announced the OS X beta program back in April, signaling a major shift in the company’s development cycle. Now, as we’ve previously noted, the OS X beta-testing process falls more in-line with the practices of Google and Microsoft. Apple wants average Mac users, not just developers, to “help make OS X even better.”

Apple first announced OS X Yosemite at its annual WWDC developer conference in June, unveiling its plans to bridge the gap between OS X and iOS.

OS X Yosemite features a new, glass-like design for Finder, redesigned Spotlight search, better encryption, an updated notification center, the next edition of Safari, and more. Unfortunately for you, beta testers, many of OS X’s most exciting features — the one’s which involve its integration with iOS — won’t debut until fall.

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Before rushing to download the latest OS X beta on your main machine, please proceed with caution. OS X Yosemite is unfinished software, and unfinished software often yields unexpected results.

Sign up for OS X Yosemite Beta here.

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