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Will 5,1 be on the chopping block for the next macOS?

D

Demigod Mac

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 25, 2008
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4,1 isn't compatible with Sierra out of the box.

Will 5,1 suffer the same fate next year? I'd think it likely were it not for the minor revision the 5,1 series received in 2012, nearly identical to the 2010 models. Or would Apple abandon the 2010 Mac Pro and support the 2012s?*

* That said, is there a way to make a 2010 appear to be a 2012 to macOS?
 
It's highly unlikely the 2010 will be dropped before the 2012 as both are Mac Pro 5,1 and firmware identical, with the only way to tell them apart being the serial number. (Similarly, the Sierra installer is unable to distinguish between a flashed Early 2009 and genuine Mid 2010.) I'd also bet our 5,1 classic Mac Pros will get at least one more official MacOS update, and after they are dropped there will be workarounds to get it booting unsupported.
 
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We saw this optimism word for word for the 4,1 the day before Sierra announcement. Next year the 2010-2012 models are 5-7 years old. Apple drops support for machines that old often even when they can run a modern OS fine.
 
I believe you can expect ten years of support for a Mac. For example my 2008 MBP didn't make the cut for Sierra, so it will get security updates for Yosemite this year, then I'll have to run El Cap next year for security updates, then it's game over in late 2018.

In theory then, you should be good for OS updates for 10.12 and 10.13, and you'll get your last security update in 2020. If they treat it like a 2012 (and I suspect they wouldn't because that's who they are) then you'd get 10.14 and 10.15 and support until 2022.

Maybe somebody else has better data on the ten year thing? Any that didn't last ten years? Or lasted longer?
 
I don't think anyone other than Apple can give you a definitive answer as to when a model will lose OS support. Whether or not the hardware will work doesn't seem to have any role in whether OS support is dropped. The fastest a Mac model lost OS support that I'm aware of was the 2008 MacBook which lost OS support after 4 years.
 
yeah the 2008 macbook and macbook air only got up to 10.7.5 si tget dudb;t get much support. but at least theres solast at look how long we thunked the 1,1 pros to run latest oses i bet the 08 pro will maie it a while and the same fir the 4,1 and the 5,1 won't be as easy but hey at least you get the new os.
 
Apple made their own bed by giving the last cMP the "Mid 2012" designation.

They didn't have to do that. So in official terms, it's not just a "Mid 2010" variant.

2012 + 7 = 2019

Screen Shot 2016-09-28 at 10.46.31.png


It's the year designations that count. Apple won't refer to the "x,y" Model Identifiers for system requirements.
 
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Or... if they don't demonstrate continued interest in the Mac Pro series (as they still appear disinterested), it's possible that all Mac Pros will lose support. Much like Xserve was practically forgotten while it was still being sold. Then one day a small statement, and game over.

Remember what replaced the Xserve? The Mac mini.

Not much of a stretch to imagine Apple saying the iMac is the Mac Pro replacement. And adjusting the iPad to be the replacement for the current iMac segment.
 
pastrychef said:
How do you explain the MacBook4,1 losing OS support after just 4 years?
Click to expand...
Not sure if the Vintage/Obsolete thing was codified at that time. Either way, Apple reserve the right to do whatever they want - but that's probably easier to get away with for low-end plastic stuff.
 
pastrychef said:
So, in other words, the "+ 7" thing means nothing.
Click to expand...
Well if you want to get glib, then you yourself are actually Apple as part of a grand equation single consciousness in the centre of the universe. So... let's make it so that the cMP gets indefinite support.
 
recall someone mentioning that there are legal qualifications in certain states that require "X" amount of years for updates/support/compatibility after purchase... maybe someone can better quote them, but I recall 7 being tossed around previously because that was/is the California law, and therefore why they use the obsolete label.

so Mac Pro 5,1 (mid-2012) purchased in late 2013 (while still being sold as new) would then require compatibility/support/updates until late 2020.
 
I think that's in regards to having parts to repair systems. As far as I know, companies are not required to provide OS upgrades. Think of all the Android phones that don't get upgrades to new versions of Android.
 
pastrychef said:
How do you explain the MacBook4,1 losing OS support after just 4 years?

MacBook4,1 release date: February 26, 2008 (Source: MacBook - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Click to expand...

the polycarbonate Macbook was essentially comatose by late 2008 when replaced by the aluminum one. ( Apple keep around some for the edu market. )

While technically the clock starts ticking when stop manufacturing, that MacBook was clearly replaced the same year it came out. [ Apple kept it around for non-mainstream customers needs. ]. That model was a dead-ender. It was clipped outside the normal timeline Apple uses, but anyone who didn't see that it was a "dead ender" had their hand deeply buried in the sand.

OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion release date: July 25, 2012 (Source: macOS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Click to expand...

By 2012 that whole Macbook line up was dead. Intel's GMA graphics tech was dead. Did the 4,1 have a 64-bit boot EFI ( have doubts because Apple targeted this as the deep discount Mac with "hand me down" design elements. ).

In short, it was the "eco" model that was firmly based on older "Core Duo" ( not Core 2 Duo, 64-bit) baseline technology.
 
deconstruct60 said:
the polycarbonate Macbook was essentially comatose by late 2008 when replaced by the aluminum one. ( Apple keep around some for the edu market. )

While technically the clock starts ticking when stop manufacturing, that MacBook was clearly replaced the same year it came out. [ Apple kept it around for non-mainstream customers needs. ]. That model was a dead-ender. It was clipped outside the normal timeline Apple uses, but anyone who didn't see that it was a "dead ender" had their hand deeply buried in the sand.



By 2012 that whole Macbook line up was dead. Intel's GMA graphics tech was dead. Did the 4,1 have a 64-bit boot EFI ( have doubts because Apple targeted this as the deep discount Mac with "hand me down" design elements. ).

In short, it was the "eco" model that was firmly based on older "Core Duo" ( not Core 2 Duo, 64-bit) baseline technology.
Click to expand...
According to Everymac the 4,1 had 64-bit EFI. To my knowledge the only MacBook models which had the Core Due processors were the original models released mid-2006. The late 2006 models contained Core 2 Duo processors.
 
deconstruct60 said:
the polycarbonate Macbook was essentially comatose by late 2008 when replaced by the aluminum one. ( Apple keep around some for the edu market. )

While technically the clock starts ticking when stop manufacturing, that MacBook was clearly replaced the same year it came out. [ Apple kept it around for non-mainstream customers needs. ]. That model was a dead-ender. It was clipped outside the normal timeline Apple uses, but anyone who didn't see that it was a "dead ender" had their hand deeply buried in the sand.



By 2012 that whole Macbook line up was dead. Intel's GMA graphics tech was dead. Did the 4,1 have a 64-bit boot EFI ( have doubts because Apple targeted this as the deep discount Mac with "hand me down" design elements. ).

In short, it was the "eco" model that was firmly based on older "Core Duo" ( not Core 2 Duo, 64-bit) baseline technology.
Click to expand...

Yes, there was a Late 2008 MacBook that was aluminum. But they also released a white Late 2008 MacBook4,2 and then, in 2009, they released a white MacBook5,2. No new aluminum model was released in 2009.

I don't know if the MacBook4,1 had 64 bit EFI.

Apple started putting Core 2 Duos in to MacBooks beginning with MacBook2,1.
 
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