Craig Federighi: Native Windows on M1 Macs is 'Really up to Microsoft'

[MacRumors]

Following the release of the M1 Macs Apple executives have been doing interviews with a range of publications, and today, Ars Technica published another interview with software engineering chief Craig Federighi, hardware technologies lead Johny Srouji, and marketing VP Greg Joswiak.

Much of the interview focuses on topics that the three have already covered in prior discussions, but there is an interesting tidbit from Federighi on Microsoft and Windows on the M1 Macs. Right now, the M1 Macs do not support Windows and there is no Boot Camp feature as there is on Intel Macs, but Windows support is a feature that many would like to see.

Federighi says Windows on M1 Macs is "up to Microsoft." The core technologies exist and the Macs are capable of it, but Microsoft has to decide whether to license its Arm-based version of Windows to Mac users.

As for Windows running natively on the machine, "that's really up to Microsoft," he said. "We have the core technologies for them to do that, to run their ARM version of Windows, which in turn of course supports x86 user mode applications. But that's a decision Microsoft has to make, to bring to license that technology for users to run on these Macs. But the Macs are certainly very capable of it."

Federighi also suggested that Windows in the cloud could be a possible solution in the future, and he highlighted CrossOver, which is able to run x86 Windows apps on M1 Macs using Rosetta 2.

Federighi, Joswiak, and Srouji also discussed developing the Apple Silicon chips, designing the M1, the M1's performance, unified memory architecture, running iOS apps, and more. The full interview can be read over at Ars Technica.

Article Link: Craig Federighi: Native Windows on M1 Macs is 'Really up to Microsoft'

 

[adamw]

Microsoft it is up to you to get on the stick and release native M1 Chip apps and Windows for the new Apple computers. Time will tell. Good to know Macs can run Windows if Microsoft licenses them to do it.

 

[Serban55]

And since Microsoft under the new CEO is all about the services and cloud....Microsoft will be happy to sell to you thei Windows licence
So expect 2021 to run Windows

 

[haunebu]

That would instantly make the MacBook one of the most popular Windows machines. It would decimate the Surface line of Microsoft products, especially the Surface Pro X.

 

[Serban55]

Apple, please, never fire or let go Johny Srouji ! He is a masterpiece when he was at Intel, and now he is a masterpiece at Apple for so many years

 

[AustinIllini]

That would instantly make the MacBook one of the most popular Windows machines. It would decimate the Surface line of Microsoft products, especially the Surface Pro X.

I don't think this is true. HP and Dell already exist and eat the Surface program's lunch. Apple would be the same influence on Windows they are now. Not very big...

 

[DJC631]

I have Windows on every Mac I use regularly. I would absolutely buy and install Windows on a new Mac if they made it possible.

 

[SlaunchaMan]

Does this mean that the M1 MacBooks could conceivably dual-boot ARM Linux, given the right device drivers?

 

[tdar]

So this means that native windows will be available as soon as Microsoft feels that the code is ready.likely after the next update in 2021 when 64 bit emulation is included.

 

[yurc]

Common MS, I have no problem with license. I want run trying MSFS and Solidworks on speedy M1 chips.

 

[TomOSeven]

That would instantly make the MacBook one of the most popular Windows machines. It would decimate the Surface line of Microsoft products, especially the Surface Pro X.

Yeah, Microsoft could never accept the loss of all three of their yearly Surface Pro X sales.

Microsoft will be happy to sell to you thei Windows licence

You mean rent it to you. -_-

 

[locrumo]

I want run XP on M1 Mac.

 

[CJ Dorschel]

This is a big deal especially for businesses that invested heavily in Intel Mac’s over the years that need windows to operate alongside macOS. I think people are dismissing how many still depend on windows. Intel offered the best of both worlds - A 2-in-1 machine - Windows for work and macOS for personal use. I know a lot of people who use MacBook pros for both personal and work use.

 

[entropys]

I don't think this is true. HP and Dell already exist and eat the Surface program's lunch. Apple would be the same influence on Windows they are now. Not very big...

Agree. You do not see as many surface products as you used to, at least where I find myself. Government IT pushed them for a while, but it didn’t seem to work out and now it is all HP dragonflies and (ugh) Dell latitudes.

 

[cardfan]

I have Windows on every Mac I use regularly. I would absolutely buy and install Windows on a new Mac if they made it possible.

Except these aren’t the windows you’re looking for. MS has a lot of work to do still.

 

[larrylaffer]

He's right. Windows ARM exists, and works well, but is still OEM only.

 

[Kabeyun]

This is interesting. I didn’t even know there was an ARM version of Windows.

If I get an M1 MBP, I’ll still have my spiffy new 6-core Intel mini for virtualization, but it’ll be interesting to see what the future holds here.

 

[sub150]

Is there any chance Windows on an M1 is not through BootCamp and is more similar to Parallels?

 

[chucker23n1]

Interesting that he seems to leave the possibility of dual-boot open.

 

[CWallace]

Thanks to WFH (which may become permanent), I use Boot Camp now on my 2017 iMac 5K. I eventually will need to replace this, but I just cannot in good conscience buy the 2020 Intel model considering how the eventual M Series model is just going to destroy it in performance and likely offer so many other benefits (FaceID, improved web camera, etc.). Worse case I will use my Alienware gaming machine as my work PC, but if I could BootCamp Windows ARM on the M-series iMac that would be great.

 

[dontwalkhand]

Is there any chance Windows on an M1 is not through BootCamp and is more similar to Parallels?

Parallels and VMWare both have something in the works for M1 Macs.

 

[JCCL]

That would instantly make the MacBook one of the most popular Windows machines. It would decimate the Surface line of Microsoft products, especially the Surface Pro X.

Yeah........except those are mainly tablets.....or convertibles. But do agree, Apple's ARM implementation seems to run circles about Microsoft's, emulated performance is night and day, and the M1 is far more powerful than the SQ2

 

[kwerle]

Does this mean that the M1 MacBooks could conceivably dual-boot ARM Linux, given the right device drivers?

I don't think you can run linux on any modern macbook at the moment. I'm all for it - I just don't think it'll happen.

 

[chrisherbert]

Wow, Crossover needs to redesign their website.

 

[guzhogi]

I have a fe Windows-only games. I'm curious to see how they'd run.