Apple Starts Selling $69 OS X Lion USB Thumb Drive

Apple has started selling the OS X Lion USB Thumb Drive, intended for users without a broadband connection.

lion
As noted by 9to5Mac, the USB thumb drive is available for sale on Apple's online store for $69.00. Apple had pre-announced that they would be selling the USB stick back in July. The USB stick offers the full OS X Lion installation without any need to download it over the internet:

OS X Lion is available on a USB thumb drive for installation without the need for a broadband Internet connection. Just plug the drive into your USB port and follow the instructions to install. OS X Lion is also available for a lower price as a digital download from the Mac App Store.

Earlier this month, Apple released a downloadable utility that would let users create a Lion recovery partition. That partition, however, still required you to download Lion from Apple's servers.

At $69.00, this USB option costs $39.01 more than the corresponding digital version through the Mac App Store. OS X Lion also remains available on the Mac App Store for $29.99.

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

Apple Changes How You Order a Mac

Saturday January 31, 2026 10:51 am PST by
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...

Top Rated Comments

ChazUK Avatar
189 months ago
Sorry Apple but this has to be the biggest joke ever. £55 for a thumb drive with lion on it!
Still cheaper than Windows on a DVD.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lex Yu Avatar
189 months ago
Don't you get it?

This IS NOT about the flash drive price. This is about the LICENSE!!

Downloadable Lion is $29 but requires Mac App Store which requires Snow Leopard which is another $29.

So, the total expense to get the downloadable Lion is $58 not $29.

This USB stick, however, DOES NOT require Mac App Store nor Snow Leopard; Tiger or Leopard users can install Lion through this USB stick, without purchasing Snow Leopard.

So, it's not $29 vs. $69 but $58 vs. $69. The USB Stick with an Apple logo on it costs only $11, and it ships for FREE.

Think, folks. THINK!!
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
World Citizen Avatar
189 months ago
Guys,

this is just a normal price...

Keep in mind there has to be employees selling it, and an distribution channel.. Cost to create and design it, the box, License .. etc etc...

AND they have to ship it...

Remove to cost of Lion an you come close to what it should cost...

Come on guys keep it real!!!!
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hamshi Avatar
189 months ago
why usb and not on DVD?

because Apple have been on a mission to kill the optical drive for over a decade
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hamshi Avatar
189 months ago
No clue why they are selling it for so much, but at least they give users an option to make their own install off of their own thumb drive for free.
there selling it for so much because this is primarily aimed at Leopard users who before this needed to upgrade to Snow Leopard (~$35) then buy Lion of the AppStore. For those select few this has been the only way since about 2 weeks before Lion was launched

Can this drive be erased to be used as an empty drive?
this question has been around for a while with the macbook air USB's. ive always wanted to do it but apparently they have almost no, or none at all, writing capability. maybe these will be different but its unlikely
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
brandscill Avatar
189 months ago
Sorry Apple but this has to be the biggest joke ever. £55 for a thumb drive with lion on it!
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)