Apple is about to release macOS 1 for Mac and MacBook. Once macOS Big Sur introduces an updated user interface and support for its M1 Macs, this time it should be a minor update, similar to macOS Catalina. At WWDC last year, Apple announced that they would be in a transition period of a couple of years that would move any and all Macs to ARM chips, nowadays called M1. So far we have the MacBook Air (XNUMX), Mac mini and MacBook Pro XNUMX (XNUMX) running on this chip, and more recently the iMac (XNUMX) in its many colors. Although it looks like a quiet year for macOS XNUMX, there's still talk of what it might include, and even hints of other Macs that will soon harbor an MXNUMX chip. Like the iOS XNUMX, iPadOS XNUMX, and watchOS XNUMX announcements that are expected to appear in the opening statement, this is going to be one to watch, just to see how these enhancements benefit the Apple devices you own. With gossip that this could be a year of improvements for the latest version of macOS, that's not to say it won't be essential, especially if you're looking to upgrade your current Mac. However, if you decide to upgrade to macOS XNUMX when it was announced, but decide it's not for you, here's how to downgrade macOS and back to macOS XNUMX Big Sur. Be sure to bookmark this page as we'll keep it up to date with the latest information and features.
Come to the point
- What is it? macOS twelve, the successor to macOS eleven Big Sur
- At what point did it come out? It will be free at the end of the year.
- How much will it cost? Any. Apple software updates are always free at all times
The next MacBook Pros could ship with macOS twelve already installed with an M1X chip if the gossip is determined. (Image credit: Apple)
macOS 12 release date
The next version of macOS is expected to be announced at WWDC, but not released. There will most likely be a developer build when macOS XNUMX is official, and a public beta will probably be available for you to try out in July. As always, this is going to be a free update for anyone with a compatible system. If you're not sure if your Mac or MacBook is compatible, check the system requirements now.
At what point will macOS twelve be free to download?
The macOS twelve update should be free for download through your Mac's System Preferences menu, or you can download it through the Mac App Store app when it is released towards the end of the year, surely reflecting previous versions of macOS.
System requirements for macOS 12
Although the system requirements for macOS twelve have not yet been announced, we now have the supported Mac systems that ship with macOS eleven Big Sur:
- Twelve-inch MacBook (two thousand and fifteen and following)
- MacBook Air (two thousand and thirteen and following)
- MacBook Air M1 (late XNUMXs and following)
- MacBook Pro (late two thousand and thirteen and following)
- MacBook Pro M1 (late XNUMXs and following)
- Mac mini (two thousand and fourteen and following)
- Mac mini (late XNUMXs and following)
- iMac (two thousand and fourteen and following)
- iMac M1 (two thousand twenty-one and following)
- iMac Pro (each and every model)
- Mac Pro (two thousand and thirteen and following)
macOS sweet name - Monterey?
This time, it could be between 2 names: Monterey and Mammoth. The two were registered by Apple in April. While some are hoping to see the return of cat names, like Ocelot, we suspect Monterey will be the last name, primarily since it's a part of Big Sur on the California coast.
We expect macOS twelve to be a small update this year, full of fixes and improvements. (Image credit: Avenir)
MacOS 12 features
While there's hardly been any gossip about what might be in macOS XNUMX, it's probably a release to fix bugs and further refine the operating system, especially if a new MacBook comes along with a new one. The Apple Silicon chip is yet to come. Think of this version as more of the Snow Leopard version of macOS. In XNUMX, Apple went to great lengths to insist that it was a polished version with no new features. With the move to a completely different chip last year, it makes sense that macOS would re-tune itself to be even faster with the new Apple Silicon chips.
Mac on ARM
After so much gossip, it finally happened last year. Apple has announced that Macs will switch to Apple-developed silicon, similar to what we've seen with all the other devices in their lineup. The first of these arrived in October with the MacBook Air (1), Mac mini and MacBook Pro 2 (1), followed by the iMac in May. There are rumors that a 4-inch and 1-inch MacBook Pro could also be announced at WWDC, with a new Apple Silicon chip, the M2X or M1. Since the MXNUMX can only run with XNUMX RAM such as up to XNUMX ThunderBolt ports, business customers want even more power and ports to use in their new Macs, that's where the next chip comes in. Rumored to have an HDMI port and SD card slot, as well as an iMac-like MagSafe power connector, this MXNUMXX/MXNUMX variation might work even better than the one available today. However, since many apps still don't work natively on Apple Silicon, Rosetta XNUMX still emulates them on the Mac MXNUMX. There could be an improved version in macOS XNUMX, especially if a new Mac or MacBook is coming to WWDC as well.