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Will remaining Intel Macs get dropped from macOS updates at the same time?

macrumor2018

macrumor2018

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 19, 2018
64
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Sonoma supported Intel macs:

iMac Pro 2017
MacBook Pro 2018+
MacBook Air 2018+
Mac Mini 2018+
iMac 2019+
Mac Pro 2019

How long do you think it will take for Apple to drop support on the remaining Intel lineup. I’ve got the feeling Apple won’t drop any Macs next year but will call it quits on non-M series products in 2025. This would be 3 years after discontinuing the 2019 Mac Pro and 2020 iMac. Thoughts?
 
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I am happy with Sonoma + Boot Camp.. I don't care what they do now..

<<laughs in 27 inch 5K iMac>>
 
Well. They are obliged to keep at least mac pro 2019 in the loop for few years still..
I could not imagine some companies having spent like 20-30k$ in some pro and being abandoned after 4 years... Especially as it was still possible to buy them in 2022...
 
I believe they will release at least one more macOS with Intel support. So next year's macOS Montecito will be Version 15 and the final release to support Intel. That takes Intel machines to 2027 with an officially supported OS. That would give my 2019 MBP and other 2019 Macs 8 years of total support. Now granted, there are some post-2019 Intel Mac Pro sales in particular that would receive less than 8 years, but maybe Apple offers an additional 1 or 2 years of support-only for macOS 15 beyond 2027, but unlikely macOS 16 or above will support Intel Macs.
 
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Do you all think Apple is making it so that support is dropped within 5 years? Seems like they are making it shorter and shorter.
 
Maybe they sold so few 2019 Mac Pro towers that it would be cheaper to give all the buyers a refund than to keep developing the OS for Intel 😆
 
frou said:
Maybe they sold so few 2019 Mac Pro towers that it would be cheaper to give all the buyers a refund than to keep developing the OS for Intel 😆
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Apple is waiting for me to pick up a 2019 Mac Pro before announcing they're dropping it from future MacOSs. 😒
 
conmee said:
I believe they will release at least one more macOS with Intel support. So next year's macOS Montecito will be Version 15 and the final release to support Intel. That takes Intel machines to 2027 with an officially supported OS. That would give my 2019 MBP and other 2019 Macs 8 years of total support. Now granted, there are some post-2019 Intel Mac Pro sales in particular that would receive less than 8 years, but maybe Apple offers an additional 1 or 2 years of support-only for macOS 15 beyond 2027, but unlikely macOS 16 or above will support Intel Macs.
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Montecito?
 
No. The late 2019+ models and the Late 2018 Mini have at least one, maybe even two, more years of support.

The Late 2017 iMac Pro and early-mid 2018 Macbooks however are very likely getting dropped next year.
 
gilby101 said:
I guess my point was that it is an unlikely choice given Apple's emphasis on inclusion and diversity.
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You are aware they just named the current release after Sonoma, right? (as of 2010 census, 86% white, $97k household average income, vineyards, some guy’s vineyard is the default aerial wallpaper, etc). I think Apple is naming macOS after areas that can afford M3 Ultras ;)
 
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MrScratchHook said:
i think apple will cut 2018 and below off at the knees...2019 and better for 2024..just my opinion..
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But do the 2019 and 2020 Intel Macs support any features lacking in the 2018 Macs? Ice lake wasn’t much different to Coffee Lake. The Intel Mac Pro was only discontinued middle of this year, so should get at least until Sep/Oct 2026.
 
macrumor2018 said:
But do the 2019 and 2020 Intel Macs support any features lacking in the 2018 Macs? Ice lake wasn’t much different to Coffee Lake.
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There's no need for it to be justified by actual technical reasons, because Apple deliberately don't state any justification when they drop Macs from macOS updates.

It benefits them for the process to be vague because then they're free to do whatever they feel like with a given release. All the "X years of guaranteed support" that people always reference on this forum is actually about hardware support (i.e. spare part availability for repairs), not OS updates.
 
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macrumor2018 said:
But do the 2019 and 2020 Intel Macs support any features lacking in the 2018 Macs? Ice lake wasn’t much different to Coffee Lake. The Intel Mac Pro was only discontinued middle of this year, so should get at least until Sep/Oct 2026.
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I wouldn't try to read the tea leaves by asking that question on which models will get dropped or not. I would guess bluetooth version? But I expect one final update for the intel machines before Apple completely cuts them off. The update is going to be more like a giant roll up bug fix, and not anything focused on features.
 
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