Apple announced its highly anticipated Liquid Glass design language at its WWDC event, and the updates have received mixed reactions from the tech community. iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, along with the rest of the updates, feature the same design language, and the uniformity among operating systems is now evident and a welcome addition. The company also confirmed the new naming scheme of the updates, which now reflects a year-based solution rather than an order-based approach. Soon after the event, the company also announced that it would be phasing out Rosetta 2, starting with macOS 28, as Apple Silicon has completed its transition and macOS will soon end support for Intel-based Macs.
Apple is ending support for Intel-based Macs starting next year, but security updates will continue for another three years
If you are not familiar, Rosetta 2 allows Macs with Apple Silicon with an Arm architecture to run apps for Intel-based Macs, which feature an x86 architecture. Rosetta 2 is basically a code-translating medium between the two that allows for easier app porting between Apple Silicon and Intel-based chips. Apple states that starting with macOS 28, only a limited version of Rosetta 2 will remain available for older games that make use of Intel-based frameworks.
Rosetta was designed to make the transition to Apple Silicon easier, and we plan to make it available for the next two major macOS releases – through macOS 27 – as a general-purpose tool for Intel apps to help developers complete the migration of their apps. Beyond this timeframe, we will keep a subset of Rosetta functionality aimed at supporting older unmaintained gaming titles that rely on Intel-based frameworks.
Apple's developer document also highlights that macOS Tahoe 26 will be the last update compatible with Intel-based Macs. What this means is that all Intel-based Macs will end support for macOS 27 next year, and Apple will only release software support for Macs that run on its custom silicon. While feature-based updates will be restricted, the company will carry on with the security updates for an additional three years. To be fair, Apple has supported Macs with an Intel chip for a while, and the older hardware is not as capable as the company's custom line of M-series chips to withstand the test of time.
Currently, macOS Tahoe 26 is compatible with a wide range of Intel Macs, which include the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro, the 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro with Four Thunderbolt 3 ports, the 2020 27-inch iMac, and the 2019 Mac Pro. Are you still using an iMac with an Intel chip? Share your experience with us in the comments.
About the author: Ali Salman is a technology reporter for Wccftech mobile section with a specialized focus on Apple and the intellectual property that drives mobile innovation. He has cultivated a unique expertise in analyzing and deconstructing complex technology patents, translating dense legal and technical documents into clear, insightful reports on future products.
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