Any guesses as to macOS 10.14 system requirements? ** 2012 Macs or later & some earlier Mac Pros

[EugW]

What do you think will be the requirements for macOS 10.14? Another year of the same requirements as Sierra and High Sierra? Or a new tier of requirements?

I'm predicting the latter, killing off my 2010 Core i7 iMac. Here are my guesses:

Early 2011 or newer MacBook Pro with Thunderbolt
Early 2011 or newer iMac with Thunderbolt
Late 2017 iMac Pro with Thunderbolt
Mid 2011 or newer Mac mini with Thunderbolt
Early 2015 or newer MacBook with USB-C
Mid 2011 or newer MacBook Air with Thunderbolt
Late 2013 Mac Pro with Thunderbolt

Not sure about the Mac Pro. The 2010 and 2012 are very similar, and both are without Thunderbolt, which didn't arrive until the trashcan Mac Pro in 2013. If I had to pick, I'd guess the 2013 would be the minimum, so no more cheese grater Mac Pro support. That would annoy a lot of people though, since the Mac Pro is the most expensive Mac, but with the shortest longevity for OS support.

It will be interesting to see what they specify for RAM. Cuz if 4 GB, then a lot of of the Airs would be excluded. But that may be a good thing, as 10.14 could run like @ss on 2 GB RAM, maybe also in small part because all applications on 10.14 would be 64-bit only. But I'd guess they won't make 4 GB a requirement until 10.15 in 2019.

So, my arbitrary prediction is that to get macOS 10.14, the Mac either has to have Thunderbolt of some sort or else USB-C.

 

[Richdmoore]

I actually think computers that don't have Metal support will get dropped after High Sierra. (Including the one I am using now, a 2011 iMac.)
I also expect the Mac Pro models (other than the round one) to be discontinued.

 

[EugW]

I actually think computers that don't have Metal support will get dropped after High Sierra. (Including the one I am using now, a 2011 iMac.)
I also expect the Mac Pro models (other than the round one) to be discontinued.

That's a very good point. Metal 2 is a convenient cutoff, and it makes more sense than the Thunderbolt criterion. Here are the Metal requirements:

• iMac models from 2012 or later
• MacBook models from 2015 or later
• MacBook Pro models from 2012 or later
• MacBook Air models from 2012 or later
• Mac mini models from 2012 or later
• Mac Pro models from late 2013

That said, a Metal 2 cut off could be for 10.15 in 2019.

 

[norda72]

What do you think will be the requirements for macOS 10.14? Another year of the same requirements as Sierra and High Sierra? Or a new tier of requirements?

I'm predicting the latter, killing off my 2010 Core i7 iMac. Here are my guesses:

Early 2011 or newer MacBook Pro with Thunderbolt
Early 2011 or newer iMac with Thunderbolt
Late 2017 iMac Pro with Thunderbolt
Mid 2011 or newer Mac mini with Thunderbolt
Early 2015 or newer MacBook with USB-C
Mid 2011 or newer MacBook Air with Thunderbolt
Late 2013 Mac Pro with Thunderbolt

Not sure about the Mac Pro. The 2010 and 2012 are very similar, and both are without Thunderbolt, which didn't arrive until the trashcan Mac Pro in 2013. If I had to pick, I'd guess the 2013 would be the minimum, so no more cheese grater Mac Pro support. That would annoy a lot of people though, since the Mac Pro is the most expensive Mac, but with the shortest longevity for OS support.

It will be interesting to see what they specify for RAM. Cuz if 4 GB, then a lot of of the Airs would be excluded. But that may be a good thing, as 10.14 could run like @ss on 2 GB RAM, maybe also in small part because all applications on 10.14 would be 64-bit only. But I'd guess they won't make 4 GB a requirement until 10.15 in 2019.

So, my arbitrary prediction is that to get macOS 10.14, the Mac either has to have Thunderbolt of some sort or else USB-C.

I have read a similar requirement list and it feels not good that my Mac Pro Quadcore mid 2012 will be out of the game. How will I do then? Maybe it comes some software that make it compatible anyway, but you don’t know. I have already problems with my computer. It doesn’t support HiDPI so I can’t get the 4K-resolution to get bigger. As it is now I can’t use it, the icons on the screen are very very tiny. And Bluetooth is from stone age (2.1 EDR). And USB 2.0...

 

[Susurs]

If they just drop 32bit app support and do not ‘touch’ HW requirements, that would be nice.

 

[eric89074]

Late 2009 and 2010 Macs are thrown off the boat. 2011 will be spared.

 

[Andres Cantu]

I feel macOS 10.14 will be the new Mavericks, and 10.15 will be the one to drop support for more macs.

 

[turbineseaplane]

So, my arbitrary prediction is that to get macOS 10.14, the Mac either has to have Thunderbolt of some sort or else USB-C.

No chance of that in my book...
I don't see any actual reason to require Thunderbolt and USB-C (as a requirement!)?

To be clear on my view..
It may just happen that every supported Mac does have either TB or USB-C, but I see no reason they'd actually make that a requirement.

Even if they do for some reason state those as requirements, they'll be ways to install it, as there are now, for "unsupported hardware".

I say this as someone who had, until a couple months ago, an unsupported 2008 MacBook with High Sierra running just fine on it - fully functional.

 

[EugW]

No chance of that in my book...
I don't see any actual reason to require Thunderbolt and USB-C (as a requirement!)?

To be clear on my view..
It may just happen that every supported Mac does have either TB or USB-C, but I see no reason they'd actually make that a requirement.

Even if they do for some reason state those as requirements, they'll be ways to install it, as there are now, for "unsupported hardware".

I say this as someone who had, until a couple months ago, an unsupported 2008 MacBook with High Sierra running just fine on it - fully functional.

Apple wouldn't be using those ports as hardware requirements, but as an identifier of supporting models. That's what I meant.

As for unsupported machines and High Sierra, check my sig. All 5 of those machines are running High Sierra.

 

[mlody]

Late 2009 and 2010 Macs are thrown off the boat. 2011 will be spared.

I am hoping my 27" iMac mid 2010 survives the cutoff and still gets supported in 10.14. I am not financially ready to replace it for another year, so we will see.

 

[redheeler]

What do you think will be the requirements for macOS 10.14? Another year of the same requirements as Sierra and High Sierra? Or a new tier of requirements?

I don't expect the requirements to be changed from Sierra / High Sierra. The change will probably happen next year.

 

[EugW]

I don't expect the requirements to be changed from Sierra / High Sierra. The change will probably happen next year.

Why do you say that? Just curious. I’m not sure either way, but would have guessed they’d kill off support for a bunch of Macs this year.

If they don’t though, that’d be great, since it would likely add yet another year to my MacBook5,1 and MacBookPro5,5, through a 10.14 version of dosdude1’s patch.

 

[redheeler]

Why do you say that? Just curious. I’m not sure either way, but would have guessed they’d kill off support for a bunch of Macs this year.

If they don’t though, that’d be great, since it would likely add yet another year to my MacBook5,1 and MacBookPro5,5, through a 10.14 version of dosdude1’s patch.

• Before MacOS Sierra the same system requirements persisted for four separate OS X releases, and this would only be release three on the current requirements.
• The last model of Mac Pro 5,1 was released in 2012, which is still under 7 years ago (7 years was the cut-off for MacOS Sierra's system requirements in 2016, excluding the Late 2009 Mac mini).
  
• The latest rumors have indicated the next version of MacOS will be more of an optimization release than feature release, though admittedly that didn't stop Apple from arbitrarily dropping a bunch of Macs with OS X Mountain Lion in 2012 (it's easily possible to install Mountain Lion on unsupported Macs like my iMac from Late 2006).

I could be wrong, but I would be very surprised if Apple drops Macs with 10.14.

 

[impreza233]

Why do you say that? Just curious. I’m not sure either way, but would have guessed they’d kill off support for a bunch of Macs this year.

If they don’t though, that’d be great, since it would likely add yet another year to my MacBook5,1 and MacBookPro5,5, through a 10.14 version of dosdude1’s patch.

I'm afraid that Apple drops support for my MacBook Pro 8.2. I'm using High Sierra currently, and I'm expecting sometimes beachballs (unlike on Low Sierra). Yes, I could go for Linux install, but I would expect not doing this.

 

[EugW]

I'm afraid that Apple drops support for my MacBook Pro 8.2. I'm using High Sierra currently, and I'm expecting sometimes beachballs (unlike on Low Sierra). Yes, I could go for Linux install, but I would expect not doing this.

How much memory do you have?

• Before MacOS Sierra the same system requirements persisted for four separate OS X releases, and this would only be release three on the current requirements.
• The last model of Mac Pro 5,1 was released in 2012, which is still under 7 years ago (7 years was the cut-off for MacOS Sierra's system requirements in 2016, excluding the Late 2009 Mac mini).
  
• The latest rumors have indicated the next version of MacOS will be more of an optimization release than feature release, though admittedly that didn't stop Apple from arbitrarily dropping a bunch of Macs with OS X Mountain Lion in 2012 (it's easily possible to install Mountain Lion on unsupported Macs like my iMac from Late 2006).

I could be wrong, but I would be very surprised if Apple drops Macs with 10.14.

I hope you’re right but perhaps you’re being too optimistic.

 

[impreza233]

How much memory do you have?

I have 16 GB of RAM and a SSD, so no problem in this fact. But sometimes I see beachballs in High Sierra so I don't know what to do...

 

[vbctv]

That's a very good point. Metal 2 is a convenient cutoff, and it makes more sense than the Thunderbolt criterion. Here are the Metal requirements:

• iMac models from 2012 or later
• MacBook models from 2015 or later
• MacBook Pro models from 2012 or later
• MacBook Air models from 2012 or later
• Mac mini models from 2012 or later
• Mac Pro models from late 2013

That said, a Metal 2 cut off could be for 10.15 in 2019.

I think this will also be the cutoff. Basically only 2012 and newer will be supported. The 64 bit only going forward would make sense to have this as the new cutoff, it gives a chance where no one can complain because it's a major change.

 

[impreza233]

I think this will also be the cutoff. Basically only 2012 and newer will be supported. The 64 bit only going forward would make sense to have this as the new cutoff, it gives a chance where no one can complain because it's a major change.

Not exactly. Since Mountain Lion all compatible computers are 64 bits only. Software has been lagging behind on 32 bits through recent years despite of this detail.
And I have one question. If a computer does have two cards, Metal does not work, despite both cards would be compatible, true?

 

[redheeler]

I think this will also be the cutoff. Basically only 2012 and newer will be supported. The 64 bit only going forward would make sense to have this as the new cutoff, it gives a chance where no one can complain because it's a major change.

All Macs supported by High Sierra are fully 64-bit, including the Core 2 Duo MacBook (Late 2009). Connecting the dropping of support for those Macs with the dropping of support for 32-bit apps is completely arbitrary and has no basis in fact.

The situation on iOS was different, as the devices dropped in iOS 11 were in fact 32-bit only.

 

[EugW]

So what the hell are the 10.14 system requirements?!?

And where's my 4K HDR Mac streaming?

 

[redheeler]

So what the hell are the 10.14 system requirements?!?

Apple didn't show the system requirements for MacOS Mojave. That likely means they haven't changed, which is good news if so. Hopefully we can see some focus on optimization as well, just like iOS 12.

 

[JimmyBanks6]

So what the hell are the 10.14 system requirements?!?

And where's my 4K HDR Mac streaming?

I was expecting an announcement for this and Disney 4k content today. :/

 

[EugW]

So what the hell are the 10.14 system requirements?!?

And where's my 4K HDR Mac streaming?

Ah here we go:

"macOS Mojave will be available this fall as a free software update for Macs introduced in mid-2012 or later, plus 2010 and 2012 Mac Pro models with recommended Metal-capable graphics cards."

So that means this prediction was almost correct:

That's a very good point. Metal 2 is a convenient cutoff, and it makes more sense than the Thunderbolt criterion. Here are the Metal requirements:

• iMac models from 2012 or later
• MacBook models from 2015 or later
• MacBook Pro models from 2012 or later
• MacBook Air models from 2012 or later
• Mac mini models from 2012 or later
• Mac Pro models from late 2013

That said, a Metal 2 cut off could be for 10.15 in 2019.

 

[redheeler]

Ah here we go:

"macOS Mojave will be available this fall as a free software update for Macs introduced in mid-2012 or later, plus 2010 and 2012 Mac Pro models with recommended Metal-capable graphics cards."

So that means this prediction was almost correct:

Do you have a source for this quote? It'd be very infuriating for Apple to drop more older Macs so soon after doing it in MacOS Sierra. A lot of 2010 and 2011 Macs still hold their own and even outperform newer models in some ways.

 

[Susurs]

It’s here: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2018/06/apple-introduces-macos-mojave/

Which series started to be Metal-capable graphics cards?