The End of the Intel Era: Every Mac Being Dropped by macOS 27
The End of the Intel Era: Every Mac Being Dropped by macOS 27
https://wi-fiplanet.com/the-end-of-the-intel-era-every-mac-being-dropped-by-macos-27/
Publish Date: 2026-06-04 04:55:00
Source Domain: wi-fiplanet.com
During WWDC 2025, Apple confirmed that macOS 26 Tahoe would be the final major release for Intel based Macs. This year, the transition goes one step further.
Starting with macOS 27, compatibility will be restricted to Apple silicon Macs only. This means you will need a Mac with an M-series chip or the new MacBook Neo (running the A18 Pro chip) to install the update. Apple is set to unveil macOS 27 during the WWDC 2026 keynote this Monday, June 8, with a public release expected in September.
Intel Macs Dropping Support
The following models can run macOS Tahoe, but they will not be eligible for macOS 27:
- 13 inch MacBook Pro (2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- 16 inch MacBook Pro (2019)
- 27 inch iMac (2020)
- Mac Pro (2019)
While these machines are being cut off from major feature updates, Apple has committed to providing security patches for these Intel based models for an additional three years.
The Status of Rosetta and Intel Apps
While the operating system itself won’t run on Intel hardware, it will still support Intel software. macOS 27 is expected to be the final major release to include the full Rosetta translation layer.
Apple previously stated that Rosetta was designed to bridge the gap during the silicon transition. They plan to keep it available as a general purpose tool through macOS 27 to help developers finish migrating their apps.
After this cycle, Rosetta will be scaled back. Beyond macOS 27, Apple intends to keep only a subset of its functionality specifically to support older, unmaintained games that rely on Intel frameworks.
Compatibility Expectations
While the official list won’t be public until Monday, macOS 27 will likely support all Apple silicon Macs:
- MacBook Air/Pro: M1 models or newer
- iMac/Mac mini: M1 models or newer
- Mac Studio/Pro: All Apple silicon versions
- MacBook Neo: All models (A18 Pro)
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