Apple Prepares to Sunset Intel Macs with macOS 26
New Software Update Will Leave Older MacBook Pro Models Behind
As **Tim Cook** prepares to unveil the latest Apple innovations at the Worldwide Developers Conference next week, a significant shift is underway. While new features are expected across the Apple ecosystem, some older MacBook Pro owners face being left behind as Apple drops support with the upcoming macOS update.
macOS Tahoe: A New Era for Apple Silicon
According to **Mark Gurman** of Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter, Apple is streamlining its operating system numbering, with the next version of macOS being designated macOS 26, codenamed “Tahoe.” This refresh coincides with a growing focus on artificial intelligence and unifying the user experience across devices.
Apple’s advancements in AI, including generative AI powered by large language models, demand significant processing power. This poses a challenge for older Intel-based Macs, which may struggle to keep pace. Developers are increasingly prioritizing Apple Silicon, potentially leading to apps that simply won’t run on older hardware. In fact, a recent study by Statista shows that Apple Silicon Macs now account for 78% of all Macs in use, up from 45% in 2022, highlighting the rapid shift in the user base. (Statista, June 2025)
Which MacBook Pros Will Be Affected?
The cutoff point for support appears to be the 2019 MacBook Pro. This is significant because it represents the last generation of MacBook Pros powered by Intel processors. The transition to Apple Silicon began in late 2020 with the M1 chip, delivering substantial improvements in performance and efficiency. While Apple typically provides several years of software support, the demands of new features like advanced AI are accelerating the end of life for older models.
The company continues to offer multi-year support for its hardware, but the limitations of older processors are becoming increasingly apparent. **Gurman** notes that Apple’s focus on unifying the user interface has also reduced resources available for maintaining compatibility with legacy systems.
While security updates will likely continue for a period, access to the latest apps and utilities may be restricted for Intel-based MacBook Pros. Users of these machines are already encountering “unsupported” errors with apps designed exclusively for Apple Silicon. Even demanding applications like Adobe Photoshop are pushing the limits of older hardware.
Although no laptop lasts indefinitely, six years of updates feels relatively short for an Apple product. This transition, while inevitable, marks the end of an era for the Intel-powered MacBook Pro, paving the way for a future dominated by Apple Silicon.
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