VMware is shipping Fusion 4, the latest edition of its flagship Mac virtualization software. The app lets users run Windows software within OS X, rather than dual-boot. Essential to the new release is support for OS X Lion, including the ability to access Windows apps through Launchpad or Mission Control, or switch between them using gestures.
The Lion compatibility extends to running the OS in its own virtual machine, whether in the form of Lion Server or a client. Leopard Server and Snow Leopard Server can also be hosted. Fusion is meanwhile said to create a “more Mac-like experience” through a new settings menu, and an overhauled virtual machine library and snapshot menu.
Performance is another major focus. The program is a 64-bit Cocoa title, described as optimized for multi-core processors with 3D rendering running as much as 2.5 times faster than under Fusion 3.
VMware claims over 90 added features and improvements in general. The software is currently selling for $50 — a price that will, however, jump to $80 in 2012. Anyone who has bought Fusion 3 since Lion launched on July 20th is eligible for a free upgrade.
