Apple has released a preview of its new Mac OS X (operating system) named Mountain Lion.

More features and apps from iPhone and iPad will be added to this OS, according to the company.

Apple said Mountain Lion would be available to Mac developers immediately and owners of Mac will be able to upgrade to the new software in late summer.

The new OS will have a new Message app, which will replace iChat. This app will allow users to send unlimited messages photos and video from a Mac to another Mac or a device running iOS, the company said.

Mountain Lion will include Game Center, an iPhone app, which will be integrated with the iCloud, a cloud storage service of Apple.

Its Notification Center will display alerts from email and calendar programmes.

It also allows users to sign in to Twitter directly from Safari, Photo Booth and third-party applications.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook said iPad was cannibalising some Mac, but it is cannibalising more Windows PC.

"It doesn’t mean the PC is going to die; I think the Mac can still grow," added Cook.