How long do Macs get MacOS updates?

[gradi]

I have read from time to time that Apple has a time limit on receiving MacOS updates for old Macs. How long is it? Does the clock start ticking the day the Mac is released or does the clock start ticking the last day it is sold?

A friend has an M2 Max Studio, but wants to get a small, light, inexpensive M1 13" MBA for travel and he asked me about it. The M1 MBA came out in November 2020, but Apple was still selling it on their website up until recently this year. Best Buy, Walmart, etc. are still selling it. So, does that mean the MacOS update clock has not yet started for the M1 MBA?

 

[Nermal]

Apple doesn't publish an official support lifecycle, and the support period for a given computer can be a bit sporadic.

In general, you should expect around five or six years of "feature" updates, and then a further two years of security updates.

I suspect that M1 machines will get MacOS 16 and 17, and then be supported through until 20 is released.

 

[gradi]

Apple doesn't publish an official support lifecycle, and the support period for a given computer can be a bit sporadic.

In general, you should expect around five or six years of "feature" updates, and then a further two years of security updates.

I suspect that M1 machines will get MacOS 16 and 17, and then be supported through until 20 is released.

Thank you. So, do you mean 5-6 years + 2 years of security updates from the time the M1 MBA was first released in November 2020 or do you mean 5-6 years from when it is no longer being sold? Apple on the website just recently stopped selling it, but as I said it is still being sold at Best Buy, Walmart, etc. It has been 4 years since it was released so the answer is not insignificant.

 

[Nermal]

From release. Sorry, I should have mentioned that.

 

[gradi]

From release. Sorry, I should have mentioned that.

Okay, thank you. My friend will probably be unhappy with this news.

Up until recently, I think about October 2024, Apple was still selling the M1 MBA on their website. I would think that the end of MacOS support clock would start counting down from that time rather than November 2020, but I was afraid it would likely be November 2020. Anyway, thanks for the info. I will pass it on to my friend. He may not care much if he can get a used M1 MBA at a very good price.

 

[Andrey84]

Okay, thank you. My friend will probably be unhappy with this news.

Up until recently, I think about October 2024, Apple was still selling the M1 MBA on their website. I would think that the end of MacOS support clock would start counting down from that time rather than November 2020, but I was afraid it would likely be November 2020. Anyway, thanks for the info. I will pass it on to my friend. He may not care much if he can get a used M1 MBA at a very good price.

You shouldn't be hasty in disappointing your friend.

Take a look at this graph from ARS Technica:

So, since the M1 MacBook Air runs on Apple Silicon, and it was sold until October 2023, I'd expect Apple to support it with new Mac OS feature releases for around 7 years since the initial release.

Then, the security updates are actually 3 years since Mac OS release, not 2.

This is not guaranteed, but I expect the M1 MBA to be officially supported until 2030.

 

[ZipZilla]

G5's sold right before the Intel introduction got screwed the hardest. Stuck on Leopard forever.

I expect Intel to get the boot next release.

 

[padams35]

General rule of thumb: Mac's loose support 3+ years from discontinue, 4+ years from replacement, or 6+ years from introduction. Whichever number is longer. (Then +2 more years of security updates counting from first unsupported release).

However those numbers shorten by a year when Apple wants to phase something out, and even then it isn't a precise rule. Apple's Dishonorable Records for Intel currently stand at:

Fastest drop from introduction:
- #1 4 years, 5 months (Early 2008 Macbook)
- #2 4 years, 6 months (Early 2008 Macbook Air)
Fastest drop from replacement's introduction:
- #1 3 years, 3 months (2007 Xserve)
- #2 3 years, 4 months (2007 Mac Mini)
Fastest drop from discontinue:
- #1 1 year 11 months (2017 21.5" iMac)
- #2 2 years 10 months (2013 Mac Pro)



Predicting the M1 Air:
- Introduced Nov 2020 -> Supported Nov 2026+
- Replaced June 2022 -> Supported Jun 2026+
- Discontinued Jan 2025+ -> Supported Jan 2028+

I'll tentatively predict MacOS 2027 will be the last MacOS version to support the M1 Air with security updates ending mid/late 2030.