What was an open secret in tech circles has finally been officially confirmed: Apple has decided to give the final chapter to the Intel era With the announcement of its next operating system, this decision means that machines without the company's proprietary architecture will be left out of major software updates, marking a turning point in the history of personal computing for Apple.
During the upcoming developer event taking place in early June, it is expected that macOS 27 will be the main attraction The news has been a major disappointment for those still pushing their older equipment to its limits. The company has made it clear that its roadmap focuses exclusively on its own silicon, abandoning a nearly two-decade-long collaboration with Intel that no longer fits into its future plans.
Mac models that are saying goodbye to updates
The list of victims includes machines that still perform wonderfully, including the 16-inch MacBook Pro which came out at the end of the last decade and represented the pinnacle of that generation. Nor will the thirteen-inch MacBook Pros released in 2020 with four Thunderbolt ports be able to make the leap, nor the iconic 27-inch iMac, which was the last of its kind to feature the blue brand's processors before everything changed.
Even the powerful 2019 Mac Pro, a beast in terms of raw performance, has seen its major system updates reach an expiration date. Although many users in Spain may find this a nuisance, the Apple Silicon architecture takes time demonstrating that it plays in a different league, and maintaining compatibility with older hardware involves an engineering effort that Cupertino is no longer willing to undertake.
To avoid any premature panic, it's important to clarify that these devices aren't going to become paperweights overnight. Apple has confirmed that security patches will remain active for a while. three extra year termThis gives us a fairly generous margin of maneuverability to continue working with them without fear of external attacks, even if we lose the visual flourishes or the new productivity tools.
The role of Rosetta 2 and software migration
Since the transition began in 2020, the Rosetta 2 tool has been essential for most programs to continue functioning, but its days as a general utility These figures are based on this new iteration. The company's idea is that this code translator will gradually disappear, becoming relegated only to very specific tasks such as supporting older video games that are no longer maintained by their creators.
These deadlines are a real pain, but this will force many developers to optimize your applications natively If they don't want their users to start noticing performance problems or, even worse, incompatibilities, this warning is a clear sign that it's time to start thinking about upgrading their IT infrastructure before support disappears completely. In a professional environment, where users rely on very specific editing or design tools, this warning is a clear indication that it's time to start thinking about upgrading their IT infrastructure before support disappears altogether.
What's coming is no small matter, as the operating system aims to be much more agile. dispensing with the technological burden This involves emulating instructions from older processors. By focusing solely on M-series chips and the new A18 Pro processors in the latest laptops, the software team can maximize every clock cycle for a silky-smooth experience, something users appreciate on a daily basis.
Artificial intelligence as a driver of change
The main reason behind this radical cut in technical support has a name: artificial intelligence. Rumors suggest Apple will unveil a a much more capable version of Siri Thanks to generative artificial intelligence, the assistant can better understand the context of what we are doing on screen or what we save in our emails and personal files.
These types of functions perform complex tasks that require the power of the neural engines of the M chipsThis is something that Intel processors from a few years ago lack. Being able to summarize long documents, automatically edit photos, or intelligently manage your calendar locally—without the data leaving the computer—is simply not something that can be done reliably on older hardware.
Ultimately, this transition that began more than five years ago is about to to close its final chapter definitively. Although nobody likes their computer falling behind with new features, users with M1 chips or higher will be affected. They can breathe easy.because their machines are ready to take advantage of everything that's coming in the next few years without breaking a sweat.
The current landscape makes it clear that to stay up-to-date in the Apple ecosystem, one must betting on our own silicon Without looking back. With the arrival of macOS 27, an era of coexistence between two worlds comes to an end, focusing all efforts on a unified architecture that promises to change the way we interact with our computers, provided we have the right hardware to get on board.
