Apple signals end of Intel support for Mac App Store apps amid wider hardware transition

Apple has informed developers that apps requiring macOS 13 or later can now drop support for Intel-based Macs, marking a significant shift in its hardware and software strategy as it increasingly consolidates around Apple silicon.

Apple has changed course for developers publishing universal Mac App Store apps. According to MacRumors, Apple has told developers that apps requiring macOS 13 or later may now drop support for Intel-based Macs, a notable shift after years in which Mac App Store titles were expected to keep Intel compatibility.

The practical effect is straightforward. If a developer removes Intel support, the app will stop receiving updates on Intel machines, although users will still be able to run the last compatible version already installed. Apple says the change should make it easier to simplify code and reduce both download size and on-device footprint. Until now, the company did not allow Mac App Store apps with Intel support to abandon it.

The move fits a wider endgame for Intel Macs. MacRumors has reported that macOS Tahoe is the final release to run on Intel-based hardware, while macOS Golden Gate is limited to Apple silicon Macs with M1 chips or later. Apple is also winding down Rosetta 2, the translation layer that lets Intel-built apps run on Apple silicon. In Golden Gate, Rosetta will stop working for most apps, and software that depends on it will fail to launch, with Apple carving out an exception for some older, unmaintained games tied to Intel-based frameworks.

Taken together, the changes point to a more complete break with Intel across both hardware and software. Developers who still maintain universal binaries will need to decide whether keeping legacy support is worth the cost, while users on Intel Macs are moving closer to a point where no new app updates or system releases will reach them.