Apple broadcasts Mac transition to Apple silicon
This transition creates a common architecture for all Apple products that makes it easier for developers to write and optimize their apps for the entire ecosystem
Apple has announced it will switch the Mac to its premium custom silicon to deliver industry-leading performance and powerful new technology. Developers can now start updating their apps to take advantage of Apple Silicon's advanced features on Mac.
This transition also creates a common architecture for all Apple products, which makes it considerably easier for developers to write and optimize their apps for the entire ecosystem.
The brand also launched macOS Big Sur, the next major version of macOS that delivers the biggest update in over a decade and incorporates technologies that ensure a smooth and seamless transition to Apple silicon.
Developers can easily convert their existing apps to run on Apple silicon using the powerful technologies and performance. For the first time, developers can make their iOS and iPadOS apps available on Mac without changes.
To make it easier for developers to get started with Apple Silicon, the brand also launches the Universal App Quick Start Program, access to documentation, forum support, beta versions of macOS Big Sur and Xcode 12, and the restricted use of a Developer Transition Kit (DTK), a Mac Development system based on Apple's A12Z Bionic System on a Chip (SoC).
The brand plans to ship the first Mac with Apple silicon by the end of the year and complete the transition in about two years. Apple will continue to support and release new versions of macOS for Intel-based Macs in the coming years, and has exciting new Intel-based Macs under development. The transition to Apple silicon is the biggest leap the Mac has ever made.
“The Mac made big changes from the start to stay at the forefront of personal computing. Today we are announcing our transition to Apple silicon, making this a historic day for the Mac, ”said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO.
“With its powerful features and industry-leading performance, Apple Silicon will make the Mac stronger and more powerful than ever. I've never been so excited about the future of the Mac. "
Apple's first-class silicon design team has been building and refining Apple SoCs for over a decade. The result is a scalable architecture designed specifically for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. It is the industry leader in unique features and performance per watt, making each one of the best in class. Building on this architecture, the brand designs a family of SoCs for the Mac.
This gives the Mac industry-leading performance per watt and more powerful GPUs, so app developers can write even more powerful pro apps and high-end games. Access to technologies like the Neural Engine make the Mac an amazing platform for developers to take advantage of machine learning. This also creates a common architecture for all Apple products, which makes it considerably easier for developers to write and optimize software for the entire Apple ecosystem.
In macOS Big Sur, the brand offers a range of technologies to make the transition to Apple silicon smooth and seamless. With everything built into Xcode 12, such as native compilers, editors, and debugging tools, most developers can get their apps up and running in a few days.
Universal 2 application binaries make it easy for developers to build a single app that takes advantage of the native performance and performance of the new Macs with Apple silicon while supporting Intel-based Macs.
Rosetta 2 translation technology allows users to run existing Mac apps that have not yet been updated, including those with plug-ins. With virtualization technology, users can run Linux. Developers can make their iOS and iPadOS apps available on Mac without changes.
Apple Developer Program members can move their apps to Apple Silicon today by applying for the Universal App Quick Start Program. The program provides access to documentation, forums support beta versions of macOS Big Sur and Xcode 12, and includes limited use of a DTK that developers can use to build and test their Universal 2 apps.
The DTK, which must be returned to Apple at the end of the program, consists of a Mac mini with A12Z Bionic SoC from Apple and desktop specifications, including 16 GB of memory, a 512 GB SSD and a variety of Mac I / O ports. Developers can apply for the program on their website. The total cost of the program is $ 500 / £ 402.16.
