Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Ventura is working very well on my i7, but this was a current model until just this week. It's a real possibility that Apple will just stop all testing on Intel machines, barring perhaps the 2019 Mac Pro for a short while. As a consequence we may soon start to find that while these machines continue to be officially supported for a few years the performance really starts to suffer.

This was my experience with the old 2010 Mac Pro that Apple officially supported for a long time. In practice it gradually became more and more unusable with security updates that caused everything to crash and I generally found apps became progressively more troublesome. I installed a metal enabled graphics card that allowed me to run Mojave without patches, but nevertheless everything became troublesome over time, even with older apps that theoretically should have been fine.
 
The best thing is, that you can always install other (new) x86 operating systems on the Intel Macs, that is true for the first generation too (2005). Even if they aren't/wont be supported by macOS/Apple anymore.

What worries me more and is also questionable: how long will Apple support it's own chip generations in terms of software?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Heat_Fan89
The best thing is, that you can always install other (new) x86 operating systems on the Intel Macs, that is true for the first generation too (2005). Even if they aren't/wont be sWhat worries me more and is also questionable: how long will Apple support it's own chip generations in terms of software?
You raised a good point regarding future AS support? Will these machines get cutoff from OS upgrades in 4-5 years? I would hate to be the person who spent $50K on a Intel Mac Pro and find out it is on the OS chopping block.

That played into my decision to buy a base M2 Mini for $499. I will cry less if it gets cutoff in a few years. I know the Intel Mini’s can run Linux so all is not lost. I am running Ubuntu LTS on my 2012 Mini. I don’t know if Linux will work on the AS Macs?
 
  • Like
Reactions: MacFoxG4
Linux distributions do have ARM versions, but I don't know, how good they support or if even they run native on Apple Silicon. Because I personally cannot test them, since I don't have any computers with ARM (except my Android phone if it counts as one).

Below is a Linux alpha build, that should work on Apple Silicon, as for now:

I hope it wont be a short support, like it was the case with Yellow Dog Linux for PowerPC Macintosh computers.
 
Last edited:
As of today, the only Intel systems available new via the Apple store are M1 and M2 systems; the Intel Mac Mini in particular has now been withdrawn.

How long do you folks reckon Apple software and MacOS updates will continue to be developed for my machine? What is likely to be the final OS it will run, when is that likely to be released and when is that likely to become obsolete / unsupported?

Take a look at the past and the last Power PC/G5 Macs that were sold. Snow Leopard required Intel, so Apple moves fast.

Also of note: Apple dropped the Core Solo Intel machines from updates fairly quickly as well. I expect Apple to support the intel machines that were sold recently (including the Mac Pro that is still sold) for a long time, but new features will require AS.
 
"As of today, the only Intel systems available new via the Apple store are M1 and M2 systems; the Intel Mac Mini in particular has now been withdrawn."

Stop right there.
As of today, the 2018 (Intel) Mini is still being offered in Apple's online refurbished store.
So... it is STILL "supported"...
 
"As of today, the only Intel systems available new via the Apple store are M1 and M2 systems; the Intel Mac Mini in particular has now been withdrawn."

Stop right there.
As of today, the 2018 (Intel) Mini is still being offered in Apple's online refurbished store.
So... it is STILL "supported"...

So it is. Should've specified "new" in my whiny speculative OP.
 
Linux distributions do have ARM versions, but I don't know, how good they support or if even they run native on Apple Silicon. Because I personally cannot test them, since I don't have any computers with ARM (except my Android phone if it counts as one).
That's a good question. I know Linux runs really well on my 2012 Mac Mini and I have tried several Distro's Ubuntu, Mint, Manjaro). I suspect that is something Canonical will be focusing on. Linux has breathe new life into my 2012 Mini and Ubuntu with just a couple of appearance changes gives it a macOS look.
 
As of today, the only Intel systems available new via the Apple store are M1 and M2 systems;

Not sure what you mean here. Apple still sells one Intel Mac, the Mac Pro. Otherwise, the iMac still has an M1, the MacBook Air has the lower-end M1 configuration (8CPU/7GPU) as an entry level model, and the Mac Studio still has M1 Max and M1 Ultra. All other Macs are M2 based.

the Intel Mac Mini in particular has now been withdrawn.

Yup. Replaced with the M2 Pro version of the Mac mini.

How long do you folks reckon Apple software and MacOS updates will continue to be developed for my machine? What is likely to be the final OS it will run, when is that likely to be released and when is that likely to become obsolete / unsupported?

This depends on a lot of things. Apple will typically draw this line when introducing a new fundamental system-wide feature that requires hardware support (Metal, in the case of macOS Mojave 10.14.x or HEVC hardware encoding in the case of macOS Ventura). Other times, they'll drop it when they can't update a driver for a given hardware component (as was the reason for 2013 iMacs not getting support for macOS Big Sur when literally every other Haswell based Intel Mac did).

Apple is extremely close to being able to drop support for Intel Macs that lack the T2 Security Chip. With as many features that require either an Apple Silicon Mac or an Intel Mac with the T2 Security Chip, they may simply drop support for Intel Macs that lack the T2 Security Chip. Hard to say. Then again, they could base it off of some hardware feature present in Intel's 8th or 9th Generation Core i3/i5/i7/i9 that drops support for 2017 Macs but otherwise retains support for the 2019 iMacs (which don't have a T2).

The 2018 Mac mini has a T2 and was just discontinued recently, so that bodes rather well for longer term support. Eventually, Apple will stop producing macOS releases that support Intel. But, I'd imagine we still have a bit of a way to go before Apple releases a new version of macOS that won't run on the 2018 Mac mini.

Do keep in mind that, even once a Mac gets to that sad day where it can't run Apple's newest OS, the last OS it can run will still be supported for two years thereafter with security updates and updates to Safari. Most Mac software will, in turn, support the most recent three releases of macOS (provided you are otherwise current with your OS updates). So, when your Mac mini inevitably stops getting major releases, that's not the end. That just means that the two year countdown clock has started.

The standard support should be 5 to 7 years, as long as Apple supports the hardware part.

Apple supporting the hardware with parts isn't necessarily aligned with Apple supporting the product with OS updates. It did seem to happen for macOS Monterey. But that isn't how it's always done.

But of course Apple could cut the support much sooner. That means, that it can happen, that the macOS introduced this year (2023) could be officially the last one, that supports x86/Intel Macs.

Yes, it COULD happen. But this is highly implausible. They know fully well that there've been people buying Intel Macs for the last 18 months (and higher end ones at that) who would be pissed. I'd say the worst they'd do is cut support for non-T2 Intel Macs, pissing off the 2019 iMac crowd. But wholesale? Nah, we're still a few releases away from that sad day.

They are likely to force users to switch as quickly as possible to Apple Silicon (ARM).

Let's wait and see...
They want people to buy new Macs. But they don't want people who bought $2000-50000 Macs to be left out in the cold THIS soon because they know they'll have customers leave them. They'll probably be supporting the 2019 Mac Pro for a long while. Similarly, the iMac Pro is a tank the way that all Xeon computers are tanks.
 
2006. Most models were replaced by Intel early 2006, but the G5 Power Macintosh stuck around until August.

So, basically a tie with the 2013 Mac Pro.
2006 (sales discontinued) -> 2009 (no longer supported by newest OS)
2019 (sales discontinued) -> 2022 (no longer supported by newest OS)
...
2023 (sales discontinued) -> 2026 (no longer supported by newest OS?)


My timeline prediction is:
  • MacOS 14/2023 - No requirement changes. (Still supporting 2017 21.5" iMac, last sold 2021)
  • MacOS 15/2024 - System requirement jump. 2018 Mini, last sold January 2023, is still supported, but I don't know if the cutoff will include or exclude mid-2018 laptops or 2019 iMacs.
  • MacOS 16/2025 - Last version with Intel support, because of Late 2019 Mac Pro. Also probably only supporting the last of each product. 2020 13" laptops, 2020 iMac, Late 2019 16" MBP, Late 2019 Mac Pro... and probably also 2018 mini.
  • MacOS 17/2026 - Apple Silicon required.
I think you are pretty dead on. I would have moved it up a year, but with the Mac Pro delay it probably bought another year of an Intel supported version. Although they will probably support previous versions with security patches for many years after that.
 
"As of today, the only Intel systems available new via the Apple store are M1 and M2 systems; the Intel Mac Mini in particular has now been withdrawn."

Stop right there.
Does everyone else get Paradise by the Dashboard Light in their head when they hear that phrase? :)

RIP Meatloaf.

But, on-topic - I think you're looking at least 2025 for the 2018/2020 mini's (and you'll likely be able to use minor hacks from the unsupported Macs forum on here for at least a few years after that to keep them rolling with new features).

I got 9 years out of my 2008 17" MBP because of those tweaks. :) (well, and the ability to upgrade the RAM, replace the HD with SSD and swapped out the bluetooth/wifi card - oh, and a couple battery replacements). :)

Edit: Oh...and I sold my 2012 Mac Mini in 2018 :)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: MacFoxG4
I think you're looking at least 2025 for the 2018/2020 mini's (and you'll likely be able to use minor hacks from the unsupported Macs forum on here for at least a few years after that to keep them rolling with new features).

I think that is likely for the i5 and i7. Possibly not for the i3 mini. Remember they were discontinued when the M1 came in.
 
I think that is likely for the i5 and i7. Possibly not for the i3 mini. Remember they were discontinued when the M1 came in.
Why? IIRC, the i3 Mini also uses the T2 chip. I have the i5 2018 Mini but tbh, I would not be surprised if this is the last year of updates for that Mini.
 
Apple can simply come up with some line about minimum requirements to run the system smoothly and indicate that an i3 is too slow. They are under no real compulsion to explain why certain models are included or excluded. We may well find that intel machines just become a pain to run soon as Apple and third party developers quickly move their focus entirely to silicon in the near future.
 
Not sure what you mean here. Apple still sells one Intel Mac, the Mac Pro.

It seems that like Apple, I too have forgotten about the Mac Pro. Joking aside, I have started budgeting for a replacement Mac mini (or whatever the equivalent at that price point might be) in 2026.
 
What worries me more and is also questionable: how long will Apple support it's own chip generations in terms of software?
We already have iPhone/iPad chips for a benchmark.

And considering the mobile OS hardware advanced faster than PCs, it's reasonable to expect Apple Silicon in laptops/desktops will have at least 2 years more support than something in an iOS device.

I think it's reasonable for 8-9 years of Apple Silicon getting the most modern macOS. Like with Intel, some of the most advanced features may not make it to the oldest chips (especially with the how ML tools will advance).
 
We already have iPhone/iPad chips for a benchmark.

And considering the mobile OS hardware advanced faster than PCs, it's reasonable to expect Apple Silicon in laptops/desktops will have at least 2 years more support than something in an iOS device.

I think it's reasonable for 8-9 years of Apple Silicon getting the most modern macOS. Like with Intel, some of the most advanced features may not make it to the oldest chips (especially with the how ML tools will advance).
We won't until we see when Apple cuts off the M1 Mac and in this case, the M1 Mini. At that point we'll have a good idea when applying it towards future Macs.
 
Don't hold out for much, Apple can cut support for a Mac for no valid reason. They have so plenty of times during the Intel era.

Also a new OS may technically run, doesn't mean it'll run smoothly, and may well cause substantial slowdowns in the performance of your machine.
 
It seems that like Apple, I too have forgotten about the Mac Pro. Joking aside, I have started budgeting for a replacement Mac mini (or whatever the equivalent at that price point might be) in 2026.
2026 sound reasonable. Apple is very likely going to keep supporting the 2018 Mac mini for whatever 2023's macOS release is going to be. So, if that happens to be the last supported Intel release (again, I'm thinking this is fairly unlikely), your Mac mini will still be supported with security updates for that release until Fall 2026.
 
I still use my late 2012 Mac Mini almost daily, and it seems to still be getting security updates for Catalina.
Catalina support ended in September 2022.

Some companies, who are using Macs have reported, that they support an additional month more, but that is. You need to update to a newer Mac if you want continue to use these companies networks etc.

Some examples:

macOS Catalina (v10.15) end-of-life Friday, Oct. 28, 2022​


Support for macOS Catalina ended Oct 30; upgrade to Big Sur​

 
I think 2025 will be a safe bet for OS updates only but I think they will withhold new features =. Apple has cut off support early for products, but given that they continued to sell Intel Macs until just recently it should be at least 5 years.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.