When will Apple stop providing software and security updates to the original 2020 M1 Macs?

[Mity]

I have an M1 MBA and M1 Mini. I am running Ventura on both. Until what year will I be able to use these computers?

I came across the following article but I'm not sure what the actual year will be: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/202...olicy-only-the-latest-oses-are-fully-patched/

In this thread, people seem to be estimating:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/how-long-will-m1-mba-2020-will-be-supported.2298736/

Is 5-7 years a good range?

 

[bradl]

I have an M1 MBA and M1 Mini. I am running Ventura on both. Until what year will I be able to use these computers?

I came across the following article but I'm not sure what the actual year will be: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/202...olicy-only-the-latest-oses-are-fully-patched/

In this thread, people seem to be estimating:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/how-long-will-m1-mba-2020-will-be-supported.2298736/

Is 5-7 years a good range?

I'd say longer. A good range would be 5-7 years, and I'm gauging off my mid-2011 MBA, which received its last update for Sierra in 2017. However, it was supported by High Sierra, which reached end of support in 2021. So you're looking at at least 10 years for the lifecycle of the model, and again, that's gauging off of the last supported OS the CPU will take, and the last updates for that OS.

BL.

 

[asus389]

My 2017 MBP is still getting updates 6 years later. It also gets patches for Mac OS 11, 12, and now 13. Up until Mac OS 13 it was getting updates for Mac OS 10.15 regularly.

 

[Basic75]

Until what year will I be able to use these computers?

Nobody outside of Apple knows. In this case I wouldn't be surprised if Apple itself doesn't know yet.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I'm hopeful that they'll support their own CPU lineup for longer than we might expect

6+ years at least -- I hope..

 

[FreakinEurekan]

As @Basic75 said it’ll just be a “Guess.” From a HARDWARE perspective, Macs go “Vintage” at 5 years after their discontinuation - so that clock just started on your Mac mini, but your MBA is still “Current” so holding at 5+ years. However, some Macs have SOFTWARE support well past their vintage date; some can’t update to the latest version even before they go Vintage so that’s not much of an indicator.

My guess is 5-7 years of being able to update to the latest macOS version; and 6-9 years of updates for whatever the latest it’ll run (usually macOS continues to receive security updates for 1-2 years after the next version is released).

 

[Fishrrman]

Take the year that they stop selling those models in the Apple-refurbished online store.
Then, add 4-5 years.

Of course, the answer won't be clearer, until they stop selling them in the refurb store.

So... right now... your question cannot be answered with certainty.

But the answer doesn't matter.
Because... you can "keep using" the computers you have now for as long as they continue to run and do what you need to do on them...

 

[Falhófnir]

If they do what they do with i(Pad)OS and base it on chipset generation we may see all M1/Pro/Max/Ultra devices go together, which might stretch the support for the first devices to launch in each cycle. That might leave too many models needing support which gets quite resource intensive and expensive, as each device needs unique optimisations done to keep it working well. This is one reason I'd be perfectly happy with 18 month refresh cycles for all their computers, fewer models to support would mean less impetus to get rid of older ones to keep the workload of supporting them all down.