Mac OS X 10.6 to Drop PowerPC Support?

[MacRumors]

As we approach the release of Apple's Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard), Appleinsider suggests that this may be the last major Mac OS revision that supports the PowerPC architecture.

Looking ahead, those people familiar with Apple development cycles speculate that Mac OS X 10.6 will exclude support for PowerPC-based Macs entirely, requiring that users have one of the company's Intel-based systems which first began making their way to market in early 2006.

Cited as speculation, Apple may not yet have made a decision on this matter. Apple has made no announcements about Mac OS X 10.6. Based on the most recent Mac OS development cycles, Mac OS X 10.6 would not likely ship until 2009.

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[Moof1904]

That sucks. There's a lot of life left in the PPC Macs.

[bytethese]

Makes sense...

[Cleve]

OSX will have to be multi processor to keep support for the upcoming iPods and iPhones which run (quite well) on Samsung ARM processors

[redAPPLE]

it will happen sooner or later, no?

[chr1s60]

I hope this is not the case. I am buying a MacBook Pro soon, but I would still like to be able to use my current iMac with the most recent OS. One of the things I really like about Apple is that they make things compatible with the new stuff and the old stuff. I think they need to continue supporting the PowerPC for at least a few more years.

[kwood]

It seems like a logical step to me. If Apple releases 10.6 in 2 years then the last Power PC computers will be 4 years old.

[kbrain2929]

Makes sense to me as well! Intel is the newest and greatest, Power PC is in the past. So sorry if you can't upgrade. What's 10.6 going to be called? Lion?

[lunarworks]

10.5 supposedly already removes support for the G3.

[lord patton]

Well, if they're dropping the support for 800 MHz PPC systems, what would the cutoff be in late 2009 for 10.6? 1.5 GHz? If so, nearly all PPC portables would be out of spec.

Maybe that'd be fine, but I'd think G5 iMacs and Power Macs would still be good enough. Until Apple says something definite, I'm betting 10.6 will be universal, but with specs that preclude all but the most powerful PPC systems.

[edesignuk]

Originally Posted by Cleve

OSX will have to be multi processor to keep support for the upcoming iPods and iPhones which run (quite well) on Samsung ARM processors

The mobile version of OS X for iPhones/iPods has nothing to do with this.

[benspratling]

Let's get 10.5 on store shelves before we even start pretending rumors about 10.6 are relevant to our lives.

[milo]

While in a perfect world it would be great if they could support all hardware forever, this isn't remotely surprising. I think this is what pretty much everyone expected, some people even said apple wouldn't support PPC with 10.5.

It's not that big a deal, Intel machines have been shipping for 20 months. By the time 10.6 ships, the newest ppc machines will be upwards of 4 years old.

Originally Posted by lunarworks

10.5 supposedly already removes support for the G3.

You mean the last remaining g3's. My g3 was only supported through 10.2. And it may still work with a hack like xpostfacto.

[ghall]

Originally Posted by lunarworks

10.5 supposedly already removes support for the G3.

Well, then shouldn't 10.6 eliminate the G4? That seems like the most logical step to me.

Why are we even discussing 10.6 already? 10.5 isn't even out yet.

[k28]

10.5 drop G3
10.6 drop G4
10.7 drop G5

This would make more sense?

[Warbrain]

Not surprising at all, but I highly doubt that they would leave the most recent PowerMac G5 users hanging like that. At least I have a top of the line iBook that might be able to run it next time around.

[longofest]

By late 2009, it would have been 4 years since the last new PPC mac was sold.

[hdsalinas]

I think Apple should support PPC macs as long as the fastest ppc mac can keep up with whatever they come out and as long it is financially viable. Obviously if the hardware doesnt cut it anymore they should move on.

So, yes, I think that apple may drop support for PPC on OSX 10.6 if it wont run as smooth as in whatever intel's processor they use by then.

[plumbingandtech]

Rebate! Rebate! Rebate!

/snark

[Object-X]

Leopard ships October 2007 and I wouldn't expect to see a new OS X until at least 2009 or later. G4s will be really old by then and the features that the next gen OS will support will almost certainly be too advanced for such an old architecture. But I can hear the whining already.

[KindredMAC]

I would hope that it would be 10.7 that would end PPC support. Think about all the PowerMac G5's out there in the industry because people couldn't wait for Adobe to release the Native CS3 apps.

That would mean that all the G5's out there sold last year would be obsolete in 2 years if 10.6 took away PPC support all together? No way. Especially when some of the last model PowerMacs still rival the current Intel line in performace and handling of applications.

Come on Apple give the G5's at least 4 more years. That's not asking a lot.

Otherwise you could easily see another lawsuit similar to the Beige PowerMac G3 suit over OS X.

[rychencop]

Originally Posted by Moof1904

That sucks. There's a lot of life left in the PPC Macs.

Not really. By 2009/10 PPC's will be totally out of date.

[Markleshark]

Originally Posted by longofest

By late 2009, it would have been 4 years since the last new PPC mac was sold.

More than enough time to warrant dropping PPC support, IMHO.

[guzhogi]

Would make sense. PowerPC is getting a little long in the tooth. Plus, this will help programming since you wouldn't have to program for 2 different architectures. While the iPod/iPhone will still be here, Apple will still have less architectures to support.

The only down side w/ going Intel only that I can see is there are a lot of really great classic only apps out there that never made the jump to Mac OS X. Kinda sad to see them go.

[chaosbunny]

Well, I guess the (few) who bought the quad G5s maybe expected them to last longer than 4 years...

Sad for them.