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

If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein