Transitioning to Apple Silicon: The Future of Mac App Development on the App Store

In the last six years, Apple has been gradually phasing out Intel Macs since the introduction of Apple silicon. This transition was officially confirmed by Apple last year, announcing the end of support for Intel Macs and Intel macOS apps by the end of 2027.

The process began on the hardware side this year with the release of macOS 27 Golden Gate, which marks the end of the Intel generation of Macs. The previous macOS 26 Tahoe update had already limited support to only four 2019 and early 2020 models, including the Intel Mac Pro. These models will receive security updates for two more years, after which users will need to find alternative solutions.

Next year’s macOS 28 release will eliminate support for Intel apps, making it essential for users to switch to Apple silicon. While most current Mac apps are “Universal” and can run on both platforms, developers now have the option to exclude Intel compatibility.

Apple recently notified developers that they can remove Intel support from their Mac App Store apps, simplifying development and optimizing performance. This change allows developers to focus on Apple silicon without the need for dual versions.

Previously, all apps on the Mac App Store had to be universal binaries compatible with both Intel and Apple silicon. However, developers can now choose to exclude Intel support, although offering universal versions is still an option for those with a significant Intel user base.

Apple introduced Rosetta 2 in macOS Big Sur in 2020 to facilitate the transition to Apple silicon. This tool will be mostly removed in macOS 28 next year, with Apple promising to maintain some functionality for older gaming titles.