Apple announced macOS 11.0 – its major new release of the Mac operating system. For almost 19 years now, Apple has released versions of macOS 10.x – an operating system that saved the company.
The reason why macOS 11.0 is different from the previous version is because of the added support for ARM chips. Apple makes its own silicon for its products such as the iPhone, the iPad, Apple Watch, and more; the company is now trying to make its own chips for the Mac as well.
ARM architecture based chips are known for being power efficient and thermally efficient. Meaning most chips can run at comparable performance to x86 chips without fans for cooling. However, we do not know if the chips that will power the Mac in the future will require fans or not.
But it is definitely clear that by Apple focusing on its own silicon for the Mac – it opens up a whole new world of design for the desktop operating system. Apple will be able to make thinner and lighter devices without compromising on thermals, battery, or anything else.
Apple has also added support for iOS apps to run on the Mac. Thus, enabling developers to create a single app and be able to push it to multiple platforms with ease. It’s clear that the company is building a strong base for creating Mac/iPad hybrid machines.
While Apple has largely dismissed the idea of merging macOS and iPadOS or the Mac and the iPad, the changes we have seen in the recent past and that were announced at WWDC, makes it clear that the company is indeed planning to create hybrid devices. Microsoft Surface is the best convertible device in the market and looks like it will have some competition in the near future.