macOS 15: Bad News for Older Macs

According to a reliable source, Intel-powered Mac’s won’t get all of macOS 15’s AI features.

macOS 15 is the next version of macOS. And while it may not be as big as iOS 18 for iPhone, it’s expected to bring AI features with improvements to Siri.

Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, who has spent weeks outlining Apple’s plans for its software and AI, has gone into more detail in a report.

macOS 15, like iOS 18, is expected to use a combination of on-device and cloud for AI processing. Unfortunately, it looks like Mac customers will need a newer model to use some of these features.

In the report, Gurman says the cutoff for Mac will be Apple’s M1 chip. The company’s original M1 processor debuted back in the fall of 2020.

If this is true, and Gurman is typically accurate, it means Intel-powered Mac’s will not get all of the AI upgrades macOS 15 has on board. Apple Silicon Mac models will be the requirement for on-board AI features.

That’s obviously a blow for those still holding onto older MacBook Pro’s and MacBook Air’s.

macOS 15 will debut at WWDC 2024 on June 10th. Apple will confirm its plans during the keynote and we expect the company to put macOS 15 into beta testing shortly after its conclusion.

While macOS 15 won’t feature a complete redesign, the software is expected to bring AI upgrades and Apple Watch’s topographic maps, among other features, to Mac users.