Apple's Intel Move... Early Details and Notes
As readers digest yesterday's announcement about Apple's move to Intel. Here are some notes gathered about the upcoming transition.
- It appears Rosetta, Apple's Intel-Mac PowerPC emulator which was demonstrated at WWDC does not support AltiVec (Velocity Engine) according to Game developers.
- The new Intel-Macs may likely support Windows in a dual-boot capacity, assuming Microsoft provides software support:
Apple also confirmed that they would not stop customers from running Windows on the Intel-based Mac, although the Mac OS will not run on another PC.
Alternatively, Windows could potentially be run in a window under Mac OS X in a Virtual PC-type environment (not emulated, at full speed). Older users may realize this may cause some problems with potential software development. It has been said that one large reason for the demise of IBM's OS/2 was due to its support of Windows applications and the ability to dual boot into Windows. Developers were said to be reluctant to spend time on OS/2 specific applications when OS/2 users could typically also run Windows.
- Rosetta will not support programs written for Mac OS 8 or OS 9. Schiller is quoted as saying that no definitive plans to address Classic mode support have been made but "it's certainly not very high on the priority list."
- Trivia: Apple has recycled the name "Rosetta". It was previously used as their in-house handwriting recognizer for the Newton.
- Don't expect benchmarks soon. The developer's transition kit agreement which provides a PowerMac with an Intel processor for $999 has many conditions. One including:
You also agree not to make any changes or alterations to the Developer Transition System, not to publish or release the results of any benchmark tests run on the Developer Transition System...
Popular Stories
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps.
The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future.
To set up the...
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models.
The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras
Under-screen Face ID
Front camera in...
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones.
iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features.
Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen
A new slider in the Lock...
Apple reportedly tested a version of the first-generation AirPods with bright, iPhone 5c-like colored charging cases.
The images, shared by the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami," claim to show first-generation AirPods prototypes with pink and yellow exterior casings. The interior of the charging case and the earbuds themselves remain white.
They seem close to some...
2026 is almost upon us, and a new year is a good time to try out some new apps. We've rounded up 10 excellent Mac apps that are worth checking out.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Alt-Tab (Free) - Alt-Tab brings a Windows-style alt + tab thumbnail preview option to the Mac. You can see a full window preview of open apps and app windows.
One Thing (Free) -...
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from MacRumors! News in the Apple world has unsurprisingly been relatively slow over the past week, but Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone managed to make its way back into the news, while we also shared updates on current and future Apple TV news.
iOS 26.3 will be bringing some new features, particularly for users in the EU, so we'll look for additional...
