I know it is unlikely, but what about the idea running ARM binaries on Intel Macs? This would help guarantee the typical 6-8 year usage lifespan. This buys time for Apple to figure out Bootcamp/Windows on ARM, and shows a commitment to the "years to come" of support, since they can't control what application teams decide to do to continue support Intel macs for the duration of their life.
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Reverse Rosetta
- Thread starter applesed
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I doubt running Windows 10 native ala Bootcamp is every happening. If you need that plan on hanging onto your Intel Macs.
Parallels was demoed at WWDC, but running Linux. But Apple is working closely with Parallels, so there is a some chance a version of Windows will run under Parallels on ARM.
FWIW, this is addressed often in the Apple Silicon Forums here.
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The statement just reiterated the current situation (i.e. they do not sell Windows on ARM directly to consumers). It didn’t close the door on offering it in the future, but yes, “I’ll believe it when I see it” is my working assumption.
If let's say, two years from now, software vendors have fully transitioned, and stop supporting mac x86 binaries of their software and the only way to run it is on mac ARM. Would there then be a way to run ARM binaries for mac x86? hence the reverse rosetta phrasing.
Writing an emulator is a one way street. To do the reverse would be a totally new process, built from scratch.
Howdy applesed,
I *think* you can already do this to, an extent. If you use XCode to write iOS Apps, the SDK comes with an iPhone/iPad emulator, for testing and running your code. It would be a simple matter of Apple re-packaging that emulator into something that could run "general purpose" Apple Silicon type apps. However, this is unnecessary as going forward (for at least the next few years), we will have Universal Binaries that can run on either Intel or ARM. Perhaps I misunderstood what you meant? Thanks!
Rich S.
Xcode does not emulate iOS/iPad apps. It’s a simulator, and it’s quite limited. It essentially converts your app’s raw code to run on a Mac; it’s not usable with compiled apps.
Howdy chrfr,
XCode will launch an emulated iPhone or iPad, to which your code is deployed to. It even shows up in a skinned window that looks like the specified device. So if you want to be technical, macOS is running an iPhone/iPad emulator, which is what is actually running your code. It would be fairly straightforward to adapt this iOS emulator, to an ARM macOS emulator, and then allow you to run ARM binary macOS apps on an Intel Mac. However, there is little incentive or point to do so, with the advent of the Universal 2 binary, which can run native in either environment
.Rich S.
No, Xcode runs a simulated iOS device– none of what's running there is ARM code. It's running your iOS code translated to run in the Simulator app, not running ARM code, which is why it can't be used for compiled apps.
Howdy chrfr,
Your post inspired me to do some more digging, and discovered that I had never realized that Simulator was not an iOS emulator. So, as you pointed out, what I had proposed is not possible with Simulator in its current state. While spelunking, I found this site: https://help.apple.com/simulator/mac/current/#/devb0244142d, which does not outright state that Simulator is running x86_64 code, but the name "simulator" and some what it does say, strongly suggests that is so. Personally, I think that is short-sighted of Apple, as your testing environment should be the same as your production environment, or you are bound to run into issues. Apple side-steps this by telling you to run your code on a real device after some testing in Simulator. There are numerous Android emulators available for both macOS and Windows, so Apple could do what I had suggested. Thanks for setting me straight
Rich S.
Your post inspired me to do some more digging, and discovered that I had never realized that Simulator was not an iOS emulator. So, as you pointed out, what I had proposed is not possible with Simulator in its current state. While spelunking, I found this site: https://help.apple.com/simulator/mac/current/#/devb0244142d, which does not outright state that Simulator is running x86_64 code, but the name "simulator" and some what it does say, strongly suggests that is so. Personally, I think that is short-sighted of Apple, as your testing environment should be the same as your production environment, or you are bound to run into issues. Apple side-steps this by telling you to run your code on a real device after some testing in Simulator. There are numerous Android emulators available for both macOS and Windows, so Apple could do what I had suggested. Thanks for setting me straight
Rich S.
I'm sure Apple could figure this out if they wanted to, but then they'd have less leverage to push people toward buying new computers, so I have to figure that macOS on Intel is largely in maintenance mode now. Once Macs are on Apple Silicon, then the iOS simulator/emulator problem is totally solved. The new Macs will be a dream for iOS/iPadOS developers. For the rest of us? Maybe or maybe not as much of a dream.Apple side-steps this by telling you to run your code on a real device after some testing in Simulator. There are numerous Android emulators available for both macOS and Windows, so Apple could do what I had suggested. Thanks for setting me straight