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Apple's $500 Developer Program Includes Tools and Resources for Transitioning to Apple Silicon, Plus a Loaner A12Z-Based Mac Mini
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The vast majority of Thunderbolt devices don't have their own software anyway, they rely on Apple's drivers (Ethernet, SATA, USB Webcam, USB controller, DisplayPort output, eGPU boxes). Off the top of my head, I can only think of studio audio interfaces on TB.
I have to wonder what kind of accessories would come out for iPads if they got TB3+
Give it a try and let us know.
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How long will it take for someone to extract the ISO for Big Sur for Arm and port it to another Arm processor? Let's say Microsoft SQ1 or Qualcomm 8CX?
To help developers prepare for the Mac transition from Intel processors to Apple Silicon, Apple has launched a Universal App Quick Start Program, which "includes all the tools, resources, and support you need to build, test, and optimize your next-generation Universal apps for macOS Big Sur."
The program requires a brief application, with limited availability and priority for developers with an existing macOS application. The program costs $500 and includes access to beta software, developer labs, private discussion forum, technical support, and other resources.
On the hardware side, participants will receive exclusive access to a Developer Transition Kit (DTK), which resembles a Mac mini but uses Apple's A12Z Bionic chip from the latest iPad Pro as its brains. In addition to the A12Z Bionic, the DTK includes 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, a pair of 10 Gbps USB-C ports, a pair of 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and an HDMI 2.0 port. Thunderbolt 3 support is not included.
On the communications side, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, and Gigabit Ethernet are also supported. An FCC filing for the DTK reveals that it carries an Apple model number of A2330, which was the lone new Mac model number that appeared in the Eurasian Economic Commission's database earlier this month.
Notably, the DTK remains the property of Apple and must be returned at the conclusion of the program. Participants must also agree to a number of restrictions against tearing the machine down, using it for work other than development related to the program, or renting or leasing it out.
The Universal App Quick Start Program is similar to one Apple launched for the transition from PowerPC chips to Intel processors back in 2005. In that case, the program cost was $999 and participants were provided with loaner machines based on the Power Mac G5. As with the new DTK machines, those Macs also had to be returned at the end of the program, although Apple did provide participants with a free first-generation Intel iMac upon returning the developer kit as bonus.
Apple has made no promise of a similar bonus this time, so it remains to be seen whether program participants will get any hardware to keep.
Article Link: Apple's $500 Developer Program Includes Tools and Resources for Transitioning to Apple Silicon, Plus a Loaner A12Z-Based Mac Mini
I kinda wanted to buy one of these to play with but seems like I'm unlikely to get one since I'm not a big developer and I don't want to pay that much just to rent something for a short time. Thought it would be a nice collector's item too, as well as a decent little computer for my kid once the beta is done or a nice low-power device to run HomeBridge and other stuff like that.
I sure hope not... USB 4 is backwards compatible, so I guess it does not matter.
We might find out with the arrival of USB4 as TB3 support will be optional and as Apple will assuredly go through the effort to add TB3 support to the Mac's SoC USB4 controller, they might feel it's also worth adding it to the iPad's SoC, as well.
Seriously? No one else is having this issue? You just click this link and it lets you in?
Apply - Universal - Programs - Apple Developer
This is what I see on every device I try this on (click to see the video): I don't seem to have any issues with other parts of the Apple dev portal. Just this one.
Edit: It looks to me like they may run a try/catch in their javascript and if they hit an exception they just go for broke and refresh the page programatically. I have no idea what the exception is or why it occurs in any browser I try.
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Submitted the application but got an email that this is not available in my region yet.. Probably due to the Covid19 situation.
"Thunderbolt 3 support is not included."
Interesting if all ARM Macs will lose TB support down the line.
Interesting if all ARM Macs will lose TB support down the line.
I fully expect the shipping consumer models will support TB because Apple has bet so heavily on it for so long and it is part of the USB4 spec as an "optional extra".
I believe it is not in the DP kit because the A12Z does not have a Thunderbolt controller.
The few of these that somehow don't get returned are gonna be really collectible someday... like the pentium based Mac Pro prototype they did years ago.
I have no doubt Thunderbolt will be supported by the new SoC that makes it into the Macs that hit retail. The stock A12Z they're using for the devkits was designed for the iPad, which has no need for TB3.
Keep in mind that until recently, TB3 was an Intel proprietary tech. Even now, third party controllers still have to be certified by intel (this is why very few AM4 motherboards support thunderbolt). USB 4 is suppose to be the open standard that combines USBC and TB3 capabilities. My guess is that every Apple SOC product will support USB4 going forward starting with the products at the end of the year.
The development kit is just an A12Z from the ipad so no built in support for USB4 or TB3. TB3 likely was not considered a required feature in order to transition apps over to ARM so they did not spend the time integrating a separate TB controller.
Are people thinking that Apple will not be able to remotely lock them and track them?
Not just a possibility, but in fact the way it'll work. They're highly unlikely to do anything to make ARM binaries run on Intel systems, but Xcode will end up producing binaries that have both ARM and Intel code so that they run on both new and old Macs seamlessly. As far as how long they'll officially support Intel, go look at the PPC/Intel transition and see when they dropped OS (and compiler) support for PPC Macs. It was quite a while.
Only if you’re renewing because you already have a macOS app submitted and approved in the Mac App Store. And it’s only $99 to renew, not $100
And you don’t get to keep the Mini. It’s only a “rental”.
Or the Broadcomm chip in the Raspberry Pi. 😈
Just for fun. It probably wouldn't run very well.
But it'd be a hoot to see macOS running on a $35 board.
I’m sure they are not, but still… like Tim Cook said, this is a big day in Mac history.
Looks at Developer quizzically... waits for the OOOOOhhhhhhh.
Redirect From an HTML takes about 3 seconds.