Autodesk, Inc . a (NASDAQ: ADSK), a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software, today announced that the AutoCAD for Mac software will be commercially available in India. This version of AutoCAD , one of the most widely used software for professional design and engineering, runs natively on Mac OS X and will increase choice of hardware for the design fraternity in India. Further, AutoCAD WS mobile application , a new app for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch is available in India, allowing users to edit and share their AutoCAD designs while on the go.

The India launch follows close on the heels of the global availability announced in September last year. “Over 5000 customers have helped develop this product through our beta program and they are delighted to have the choice of a native Mac version of AutoCAD,” said Amar Hanspal, senior vice president, Autodesk Platform Solutions and Emerging Business. “The combination of this new version of AutoCAD and the extension of AutoCAD to iPad, iPhone and iPod touch is a big step in Autodesk’s efforts to accelerate design and make design more accessible for an ever-greater number of people so they can shape the world around them. We have seen tremendous interest in other parts of the world, and are delighted to be able to offer this to the design community in India.”

Students and educators in India can access AutoCAD for Mac free through the Autodesk Education Community. Autodesk recognizes the popularity of the Mac platform among students and is providing AutoCAD for Mac so they can build needed skills by having access to the same software that design professionals use every day.

The release of AutoCAD for Mac marks the return of professional design and engineering software to the Mac platform and an important convergence of power and design. AutoCAD for Mac includes new groundbreaking capabilities to help users tackle their most challenging design problems. It gives designers more advanced conceptual design tools as well as increased flexibility and control when designing in 3D.

AutoCAD for Mac Built for Mac OS X

AutoCAD for Mac has an intuitive interface that will be familiar to Mac users and makes available many of the powerful AutoCAD features and functionality to customers who choose to work natively on the Mac. AutoCAD for Mac takes full advantage of Mac OS X, including graphical browsing of design files with Cover Flow and use of Multi-Touch gestures on Mac notebooks, Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad for intuitive pan and zoom features. User experience design patterns, such as the visual approach to drawing and layout management, have also been incorporated into AutoCAD for Mac.

With support for native creation and editing files in the DWG file format, AutoCAD for Mac also offers easy collaboration with suppliers, customers, clients and partners regardless of platform. Files created in previous versions of AutoCAD will open seamlessly in AutoCAD for Mac, boosting productivity by reducing time-consuming file translation and cleanup of converted data. The value of AutoCAD for Mac is further extended with an extensive API (application programming interface) and flexible customization options that allow for tailor-built workflows, simple application development and adaption, custom configurations for settings and screen real estate options to suit individual workflows and project demands.

AutoCAD Extended to iPad, iPhone and iPod touch

Autodesk also announced the AutoCAD WS mobile application, a new free* app for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. The AutoCAD WS mobile application will enable AutoCAD users to edit and share AutoCAD files on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch so they can have real-time collaboration even while on the go. The app will be available worldwide by the end of October through Apple’s App Store.