macOS Tahoe Will Be the Last Major Update for Select Intel Macs

Apple has officially announced that macOS Tahoe, set to release in the fall, will be the final significant macOS update for certain Intel-based Macs. The supported models include the 16-inch MacBook Pro from 2019, the 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2020 with four Thunderbolt 3 ports, the 27-inch iMac from 2020, and the Mac Pro from 2019. While these devices will receive the full update, they will not have access to Apple Intelligence features, which are reserved for Apple Silicon devices.

This move marks the conclusion of Apple’s five-year transition from Intel processors to its proprietary Apple Silicon chips. Older Intel Macs, predating 2019, have already stopped receiving updates. However, Apple has promised to continue providing security patches for these Intel Macs for an additional three years. This ensures some degree of continued usability and safety for devices now considered legacy hardware.

In parallel, Apple is also phasing out Rosetta, its software translation layer that enabled Intel apps to run on Apple Silicon Macs. Rosetta will only be supported through macOS 26 and 27, pushing developers further toward full native support for Apple Silicon. This is another significant step in Apple’s long-term strategy to consolidate its ecosystem around its own chip architecture.