It is ten days until the 2020 WWDC Keynote (June 22 @ 10:00 AM (PDT)) and the rumors are flying over what will be the big reveal this year. There are rumors of new features in both MacOS and iOS and on the hardware side as well. Based on a very credible report at least one major announcement will be the first Mac with an Apple designed ARM processor instead of Intel1️⃣ but the question is will it be an iMac or a MacBook. The iMac is due for a refresh but because of its lower power requirements and cooler running an ARM processor would appear to be ideal for the MacBook. There is another strong rumor of a new MacBook based on the iPad Pro but running MacOS. Are they one in the same? Another rumor predicts Apple keypad capability for more (all?) iPads.

1. So what do you think?
   • A Mac with an ARM processor will NOT be announced?
   • Will the ARM processor be in an iMac or a MacBook?
   • If it is a MacBook will it be a true MacBook or essentially an iPad Pro running MacOS?
   • How will it stand up to the Intel based Macs in performance?
   • Whatever it is will it have the ability to run both MacOS and iPadOS apps side by side?
   • Something else entirely
2. What new features would you like to see…
   • On the Mac (MacOS 10.16)?
   • on the iPad (iPadOS 14)?
   • on the iPhone (iOS 14)?

FOOTNOTES:
1️⃣ It just occurred to me a processor change might be the reason for some of the recent changes in MacOS such as Catalina being 64 bit only and the changes in kernel extensions that are apparently for MacOS 10.16❓🤷‍♂️❓

1. So what do I think?
   • A move to ARM processors for the Mac will be announced. Intel is missing too many release dates and really struggling to meet new performance goals. Because of Apples experience custom designing ARM processors for the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, etc. — by far their biggest selling products — it is a natural fit and would enable Apple to optimize performance and features for MacOS as well as iOS/iPadOS.
   • The MacBook is almost too obvious a choice because of the ARM processor's low power consumption and low heat output, but the iMac is due for a refresh and an iMac as thin as an iPad would be a spectacular upgrade. I am betting the first ARM processor will be in the iMac with a ARM based MacBook release in the fall.
   • If it has cellular capability it is an iPad and if not its a MacBook❓Could be 😳
   • Performance will be the big question and there are those who argue Intel processors are just too powerful to overcome, but like ARM, the AMD is also a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) design and is arguably outperforming Intel processors. Given Apple's ability to optimize the ARM for their own operating systems, I would expect the ARM based Mac to be at least as fast, if not faster, than running on Intel.
   • Last year Apple announced a new set of APIs that would enable developers to write the same code to run on either MacOS or iOS/iPadOS. While I have not seen any tangible results of that, the capability is there. There are definitely some iOS/iPadOS apps I wish would run on my Mac and there are a couple of MacOS apps that I really wish had full featured iPadOS versions. So adding some MacOS functions to iOS/iPadOS could make full or nearly full app inter-compatibility within reach. 👏
   • …or maybe the answer is not this year 🤷‍♂️
2. What new features would I like to see…
   • There are some iOS/iPadOS apps I would like to have on my Mac. Lets face it, you can't beat the bigger monitor and in many cases the iOS/iPadOS app is quicker, easier, and more convenient than the web interface via Safari (or any other browser for that matter).
   • Three major wishes for iPadOS...
     1. A true Finder (The Files app is a step in the right direction but it doesn't go far enough.)
     2. Spotlight (Not so much for Spotlight per. se. but for some app features that rely on Spotlight functionality.)
     3. Honest to God full blown multi-tasking
   • For iOS I am sure Apple will come up with something I just can't live without, but right now I am living without even knowing what it is. 😜

My guess is that, eventually, OS updates will not work with Intel processors, making all present Macs obsolete. I'm not happy about that!

Its not like that hasn't happened before, it was only a bit over a decade ago, when Apple switched from the Apple/Motorola/IBM PowerPC to Intel. That change was forced on Apple by Motorola's inability to build the newer PowerPC processors and IBM'S disinterest in manufacturing anything other than the very high end workstation class versions. Switching to ARM processors for the Mac would put Apple back in the processor designer's seat for their entire product line. Remember, the Mac represents barely 10% of Apple's revenue, if that, and is in a global market that is shrinking rather than growing so they need all the edge they can get.

But yes. It may mean current Macs will reach OS and software obsolescence sooner, but I am sure there will be a transition mechanism as there was when Apple switched to Intel. Actually if the developers have been using Apple's free development tools, following the guidelines, and are actively supporting their products, the transition should be relatively straightforward. If not, then all bets are off. The toughest conversions will be kernel extensions.

It has also occurred to me Apple may continue using Intel processors in the iMac Pro and Mac Pro lines.

They Keynote is Over:

• Say goodbye to Intel 👋, the switch to Apple silicon (ARM) is on with the first Apple silicon based Mac shipping later this year and a target for complete transition in two years. (All of the presentations were done on an iMac Pro running the A12z processor from the current iPad Pro.) Developers can apply for a "Quick Start" development kit that includes a Mac mini with Apple silicon inside as well as the first developer beta of Big Sur. What the first consumer Mac with Apple silicon will be was not revealed.
• Big Sur (MacOS 10.16) — the most significant features are
  • Rosetta 2 — at application install time will recompile Intel apps to run on Apple silicon or vice-versa depending on the host processor
  • Universal Binary 2 — a compact Intel/Apple silicon binary format for apps
  • new icons and new "look" across all devices
  • major enhancements in Safari and Messages
  • iOS and iPadOS apps will run native on a Mac.
  • Built-in virtualization for running Intel (Windows or Linux) OS and apps.
  • Microsoft Office already running native on Apple silicon and Adobe apps are in process
• lots of cool new watch features
• Lots of UI enhancements in iOS
• handwriting recognition anywhere there is keyboard input in iPadOS

It will be interesting to see if Big Sur allows the user to have the same interface as Catalina. For example, Catalina users have the option to either use dark mode or continue as in previous OSs. Also, Mail users can use the Classic view if they prefer.

I hope that Apple gives us this flexibility. I could adapt to a different interface, but my better half gets very upset about any changes. Time will tell.

…

Is it officially called 10.16? Elsewhere I have seen it referred to as 11.x. In my mind, incrementing out of 10, which originally was designated as X, would be the biggest change in this new operating system.

Good question. The only reference during the keynote was Big Sur with no MacOS version number. Going to MacOS 11 would put MacOS version numbering in synch with iOS, iPadOS, WatchOS, TVOS, etc.

Apple macOS 11.0 Big Sur announced with redesigned Finder, Dock

Another name change at the Keynote? There was no mention of ARM at the keynote. Instead it was all about Apple Silicon and SOC (System On a Chip).

I was intrigued by the possible implications of an SOC. Graphics processing was specifically mentioned along with the neural engine as part of the package but what else might be on the same silicon. Twenty-five or more years ago there was a lot of discussion about having the memory on the chip and even the remote possibility of storage on the chip as well. The objective as always being cheaper, faster, and using less power. Of course hardware upgrades and/or third party add ons would be out of the question. Conceptually intriguing but the technology simply was not available to make it happen at that time. But that was 25 years ago. When Apple started talking about an SOC I began to envision a Mac mini little bigger than today's iPhone Pro Max because of the real estate needed to accommodate multiple Thunderbolt 3/USB C ports and performance on a par with today's 10 core iMac Pro. Add a battery, keyboard and monitor and you would have the MacBook Pro. Bolt it into a slot on a 21" to 27" monitor and you would have an iMac Pro, lose the external device ports, change the energy management firmware add a battery and cellular modem and it is an iPhone, give that version a larger screen and it becomes an iPad.

Okay, I grant the conversion from device to device is greatly over-simplified, but it could be done. As they said during the Keynote, the iMac Pro used for the presentations was running the same A12x processor that is used in the current iPad Pro. (...and it sure seemed fast and smooth!)

For those who use Windows on their Macs: Rosetta lacks support for x86 machine virtualization, Boot Camp not an Apple silicon option

Fascinating! Simplified, yes, but think about where technology was just 10 years ago and scenarios like you describe are believable. We should all live so long. Or more likely, humans on the planet should live so long.

For a preview of Big Sur: Hands on look at everything new in macOS Big Sur I don't mind the changes provided that BS allows dark mode to be disabled.

I downloaded Safari Technology Preview 14.0 this morning, and it is exactly what was shown during the Keynote. It is fast enough that any speed difference one way or the other is unlikely to be detectable in normal day to day use. The new customizable startup screen is cool, but not a game-changer as far as I am concerned. The Privacy Report is also a cool feature and while there may be other sources of information on tracking, it is definitely a convenience. (Even my wife is becoming concerned with how much of what she does on the web is being tracked.)

As a result of start-up prompts, I did discover some new extensions and added Grammarly to those I already had. I haven't made up my mind about Grammarly yet, but it is definitely a far more stringent grammar checker than the one that comes with MacOS. You all will have to judge the improvement, if any, in my spelling, grammar, and punctuation. (Any improvement in my punctuation would be worthwhile.)

Just because you don't like it does not make Dark Mode "BS". Personally I like it -- a LOT. It is a matter of personal choice and you can activate or deactivate it in System Preferences > General.

I used BS as an acronym for Big Sur, not anything else. I certainly would not state that dark mode is BS!

Now I get it! 🤦🏻‍♂️

Since I brought it up, I will add my considered opinion of Grammarly. The free version offers three features

1. Spell checking -- it is more intrusive than the normal Apple spell checker. Still, the intrusiveness does help prevent the almost ubiquitous spell check glitches from the Apple spell checker, and therefore opinion, and worth the intrusion.
2. Grammar checking -- head and shoulders better than the standard Apple grammar checking. As I mentioned previously, it does a great job with punctuation and syntax.
3. Tone detection -- an experimental feature at this point that detects and appraises the tone of the writing. Whether it is formal or informal, forceful, optimistic, etc. Tone detection could be very useful in business correspondence or academia.

The premium features are

• Vocabulary enhancement -- suggesting alternate wordings and avoiding hackneyed phraseology
• Plagerism detection -- what it purports to be.

Whether the premium features are worth $12 a month or not is up to the user. If I were a graduate student working on my thesis or dissertation or back at my software engineering job writing software documentation and manuals, it would be invaluable and well worth $12 a month.

Comments on SoC from OWC
I was happy to find this: time Machine Comes TO APFS
Microsoft Office will love this: Federighi answers questions on converting to Apple Silicon -- but upgrading is probably in you near future.

You said it! And the author(s) of the OWC article referenced above, agree. Here is a partial quote from the article:
"My head starts spinning at the possibility of what is to come next. A Mac mini with 128 cores? Modular computing on a stick? A Mac Pro with no PCIe limitations? Who knows, but the future looks brighter than ever – and the future is now."

There is also speculation of the iPad becoming a Mac! Like it or not Apple has migrated to an integrated software and hardware continuum from TVOS at the bottom to MacOS at the top all held undergirded by CoS.

It is also a safe bet that the rest of the industry will attempt to move in the same direction but Microsoft has been singularly unsuccessful in creating a scalable OS architecture and Intel is strictly a hardware builder so who or what will their integrating factor be?

Big Sur will now support APFS in Time Machine. APFS changes affect Time Machine in macOS Big Sur, encrypted drives in iOS 14

At last! 👍

New thought, how long before WatchOS 7, iOS 14, MacOS 11, et. al. are simply AppleOS?

And to add to the fantasy that should become reality, John W. on MacInTouch had this to say:

"But much more interestingly, if I think the laptop of tomorrow won't look exactly like the computer of today does - perhaps I think it will use machine learning to build in richer natural language interfaces and self-aware slide presentation coaching, or low-level always-present background processing of some sort for bulletproof cybersecurity monitoring - I now have a CPU design that's much closer to what I need. And, if I have an even newer idea the day after tomorrow that's unique to my computers - embedded quantum key generation? - I can probably build that too, instead of waiting for it to become mass market enough for Intel to care."

Speaking of "how long," has Apple given any indication of their plans for Airport Utility now that they're out of the device business?

I suppose I could switch my music from my Airport Express Base Station to Bluetooth if I had no option, but I like my setup as it is.

I suspect Airport Utility will remain viable until it is no longer compatible with MacOS/iOS/iPadOS but it is no longer under development, and to the best of my knowledge it is no longer supported.

I have a lot of "Home" devices that do not play nice with a mesh network so I use my old Time Capsule to generate a dedicated 2.4 GHz network just for them and replacing it would be a real pain 🤬, so I hope that Airport Utility remains viable for a long time and my Airport hardware doesn't decide to quit on me.

After thinking about what I said, I went back and looked up Apple's Policy on Vintage and Obsolete Products which says According to MacTracker the Airport Extreme 802.11ac and Time Capsule 802.11ac were dropped in April 2018 which means that they can be taken in for repair until April 2023, and after that, until April 2025 if parts are available.

I wouldn't count on parts being available after April 2023 and I don't think that also guarantees Airport Utility will be compatible with Big Sur or its successors.

I bought a backup Airport Express when Apple announced their discontinuation, so I'm OK as far as parts go, and I don't see how Apple could possibly not support Airport Utility for at least as long as they're going to support the hardware it manages...2023, as you said.

So I guess we're OK for at least three more years.

You followed that with some thoughts about the advantages for iPad and then "Maybe not this year". As a birthday present, my wife has suggested it's time to replace my old MD520C/A iPad but, as I am a person who keeps stuff for a long time, would I bump into problems if ARM processors migrate to iPads two years out? The fact that I cannot any longer move to newer iOS's on the MD520 doesn't bother me as I don't do anything confidential on the iPad.

It is only Macs that are using Intel processors. Ninety percent of Apple's product line is already using Apple-designed SoC so the iPad does not need to migrate to ARM. iPads are already running Apple SoC and have done so since their inception. In fact, the iMac Pro used for the demos at the WWDC had its Intel processor removed and replaced with the A12X from an iPad Pro and was running Big Sur in native Apple SoC mode.

At this point, my question is how much of the original ARM design remains in the Apple SoC other than the instruction set?

Since the Big Sur version of Safari is available now as Safari Technology Preview I nave been using it as my day-to-day browser and so far I like it and it is performing quite well. One new feature is an icon on the toolbar that shows the privacy report, a listing of the tracking cookies encountered on the current web page. It is informative and can be a bit scary. In spite of the fact, I have all kinds of blockers at the DNS, router, system, and browser level, I browsed a site this morning that is hosted on Facebook and Safari Technology Preview detected no fewer than 14 trackers associated with that one site. No wonder my wife get upset when she mentions something in a Facebook post only to be almost immediately overwhelmed with ads, email, and even text messages touting similar products.