As expected, at a short distance from the release of Parallels Desktop 9, VMware released version 6.0 of its desktop virtualization platform for Apple Mac: Fusion.
The new release is already optimized for OS X Mavericks and leverages, in virtualized Microsoft OSes, its new features like multi-screen support, AirPlay and dictation.
Like Parallels Desktop this new release supports the brand new Windows 8.1 allowing Metro applications to be visible in Launchpad, Applications folder or in the Dock in Unity mode.
Fusion 6.0 supports the new virtual hardware version 10, introduced in vSphere 5.5, that allows VMs up to 16 vCPUs, 8TB virtual disks and 64GB of memory thanks to the optimized support of the latest Apple’s computers and introduces over 50 new features such as retina display optimization, USB 3 and Bluetooth 4.0 support, etc.
Next to the standard version VMware also released Fusion 6 Professional that includes all of the features of Fusion 6 along with advanced functionalities designed to improve the way professionals deliver enterprise applications to Mac and PC users. Key benefits include:
- Enhanced Restricted Virtual Machines – Fusion 6 Professional enhances restricted virtual machines by adding more customizable restrictions that provide IT administrators with even more control over deployments of corporate desktops.
- Expiring Virtual Machines – With the ability to expire virtual machines at a specific date and time, VMware Fusion 6 Professional enables deployment of corporate virtual machines to contractors and allows software developers to easily deliver demos of their software as a time-limited virtual appliance.
- Single Virtual Machine Mode – Easily prevent users from creating new virtual machines or accessing specific application features, to reduce support calls and increase productivity.
- Linked Clones – Linked clones allow users to create multiple copies of a virtual machine without duplicating the entire contents of the original disk saving considerable space on their Mac.
- BYOPC with VMware Player™ 6 Plus – VMware Fusion 6 Professional is licensed to customers to use VMware Player 6 Plus to run restricted virtual machines created by VMware Fusion 6 Professional on Windows and Linux PCs.
VMware Fusion 6.0 is already available for purchase and download.