With this move, Apple hits the table on the transition of its own processors, and leaves the developer community with many questions about the future of Intel machines and the fate of macOS for this architecture.
The switch to Apple Silicon
Apple’s transition to its own processor architecture, known as Apple Silicon, began in 2020 with the launch of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with the M1 chip. This transition marked a significant shift in Apple’s strategy as they moved away from the Intel processors they had used for over a decade.
Since then, Apple has continued to release products with M1 and M2 chips and has made it clear that its future lies in Apple Silicon. The latest warning about Xcode 15.1 It is one more step in this direction. Although some developers are still wondering how long Apple will continue to support Macs with Intel chips, it seems like it’s a matter of time and the deadline could be closer than some expected.
Develop for visionOS and Apple Vision Pro
The reason behind Apple’s warning in Xcode 15.1 is clear: To develop applications for visionOS and the Apple Vision Pro, you need a Mac with Apple Silicon. This means that any developer who is still using a Mac with an Intel processor will need to seriously consider an upgrade if they intend to work on these platforms.
While some might argue that the visionOS simulator could work on some Intel-based Macs, Apple is sending a pretty clear message: the full development and capabilities of these platforms will not be available on Intel machines, either now or in the near future. . In fact, quite the opposite. Any developer who wants to follow their path in Apple’s path should start considering the switch to Macs with Apple Silicon processors.
The future of macOS for Intel
The question that many developers and general users of the Mac with Intel ask us is: how much longer will support for this architecture remain in the Apple ecosystem? As Apple continues to push forward with its transition to Apple Silicon, it’s natural to wonder if macOS for Intel will come to an end. Although a few years have passed since the arrival of Apple Silicon processors, many users today (including myself) continue using MacBooks with an Intel processor.
Some speculate that macOS Sonoma, the latest version of the operating system at the time, could be the last to offer full support for Intel Macs. If this turns out to be true, those looking to stay up to date with the latest macOS features and improvements will need to seriously consider upgrading to Apple Silicon-based hardware.