Will M2 MacBooks stop getting MacOS updates at the same time their M1 counterparts?

[macrumor2018]

It looks like only minor differences are evident between M2 and M1 chips other than 50% increased memory bandwidth.

But as far as I can tell the M1 Pro, M1 Max and M1 Ultra also have much greater bandwidth than M1.

I'm thinking M1 machines will go first and then M1 Pro/Max/Ultra and M2 will get dropped at the same time (~a year or two later).

Or do you think M1 and M2 MacBook Air/Pro13" will be cut from MacOS updates at the same time?

 

[ian87w]

It might. iPhone An chips tend to get dropped off support sooner than the iPad AnX version of the chip. So it's possible for M1 to be off support sooner than M1 Pro/Max/Ultra. As whether the M2 will be cut at the same time or not, who knows. If it's beneficial for Apple, they will (like cutting off iPhone 6s and 7 at the same time). Since the M2 also stuck at 8GB RAM for base config, Apple can cut both off at the same time when 16GB RAM becomes the minimum requirement (M1 Pro and up all have 16GB RAM as base config).

 

[Aston441]

Apple has number crunchers right now, this very second, determining the optimum time to discontinue support and forcing upgrades for some vs goodwill towards the company lost. Machines will be discontinued at the peak of the profit curve. There is no longer any other motivation for Apple other than pure profit... and double plus good think politics.

 

[macrumor2018]

It might. iPhone An chips tend to get dropped off support sooner than the iPad AnX version of the chip. So it's possible for M1 to be off support sooner than M1 Pro/Max/Ultra. As whether the M2 will be cut at the same time or not, who knows. If it's beneficial for Apple, they will (like cutting off iPhone 6s and 7 at the same time). Since the M2 also stuck at 8GB RAM for base config, Apple can cut both off at the same time when 16GB RAM becomes the minimum requirement (M1 Pro and up all have 16GB RAM as base config).

I’m thinking they might cut off M1 before M1 Pro/Max/Ultra and M2 given that only M1 macs (late 2020-early 2021) use LPDDR4x RAM while newer models with M1 Pro/Max/Ultra and M2 (late 2021-2022) all have higher bandwidth LPDDR5 RAM.

 

[macrumor2018]

This is how I think MacOS support might initially pan out once Intel Macs are dropped for good. I'd be surprised if it happens before 2025 given the 2018 Mac mini and 2019 Mac Pro are still available for purchase on the Apple website and they normally give OS updates for Macs discontinued less than 3 years ago.

MacBook Air (M1, 2020 or later)​

MacBook Pro (M1, 2020 or later)​

Mac mini (2020 or later)​

iMac (2021 or later)​

Mac Studio (2022 or later)​

Then a year or two after that:

MacBook Pro (2021 or later)​

MacBook Air (2022 or later)​

Mac Studio (2022 or later)​

Mac mini (2020) dropped​

iMac (2021) dropped​

MacBook Air (M1, 2020) dropped​

MacBook Pro (M1, 2020) dropped​

​

It makes sense, when I think about it given the low memory bandwidth and absence of a media engine on the M1 but not M2 or M1 Pro/Max/Ultra.