Swindon Mac

What to expect from the next macOS 🤔💭

September is just around the corner, which means macOS update season! This year will bring us macOS 26 which will be known colloquially as macOS Tahoe. So what new features are being touted for this update?

The biggest visual news is the adoption of a new interface style that Apple are calling liquid glass. An interesting way to describe more transparency and more curves. This one feature has provoked a LOT of comment online with initial pre release versions looking… terrible.

Apple appears to have dialled back the liquid part of liquid glass but all users should notice the change. Other features will increase interconnection between your Mac and your other devices with better and easier sharing of data and live activities. Screen sharing will also improve. Tahoe promises to push the new Apple Intelligence, which should be worthwhile given AI (see why Apple did there?) is currently pretty stupid compared to other systems.

One “feature” that Tahoe is bringing is an end to compatibility with Intel machines. macOS 26 will only run on Apples own M series chips. This will be another nail in the coffin of Intel machines which will take another tumble in value.

If you are looking to sell your pre 2019 Mac in order to update you might be better off doing it before September.

Are you excited for the new update?

Did you know? 🤔

The TV commercial that launched Apple to the world, named 1984, was directed by Ridley Scott! 🎬

The advertisement focused on a dystopian world and references George Orwell's 1984 novel. It was a great success, with about $3.5 million worth of Macintoshes sold afterwards. It's regarded as one of the greatest commercials of all time!

Apple Silicon is the way forward ⏩

Way back when in 2006 Apple made some major changes to their computers, ditching their long standing use of Motorola processors for ones made by Intel.

The transition to Intel gave the Mac a new lease of life, boosted speed and as a side benefit allowed users to run Windows natively on their Macs. Now Apple has done the same thing again, thsi time switching from Intel to their own processors based on the ARM processor but knows as “Apple Silicon”. The reason for the change was the same, to boost speed and give the Mac a new lease of life.

All this sounds great, and it is, Apples M series Macs are faster and use a lot less power than the old Intel machines, but just like before this leap leaves people with a choice; what happens to the now dead ended tech.

At Swindon Mac we say any working Mac is a good Mac, however the fact is that support for older Intel machines will be time limited meaning that anyone in the market for a new or refurbished Mac should really consider making the leap to Apple Silicon unless on a strict budget.

As a by product the value of Intel Macs have taken a hit, which means that if you are considering a jump then your old Mac then now might be the time with only the newer Intel Macs retaining much in the way of value.

If you and the whole Intel vs Apple Silicon thing just confusing, give us a call/send us an email/drop us a text and we can give you the jargon free low down on all this.