Apple's macOS Sequoia follow-up is expected to be released late this year alongside iOS 26 (or iOS 19 if the rumored rebrand doesn't take place).
The tech giant is reportedly going to overhaul the interface for all of its operating systems under the moniker Solarium, which is inspired by the translucent roundness of visionOS.
Unfortunately, not every Mac will receive the refreshed macOS 26, dubbed "Cheer." Apple Insider is reporting that Intel-based Macs won't support the update.
These are the specific models that may not get macOS 26:
- 2017 iMac Pro
- 2018 Mac mini
- 2018 MacBook Pro models
- 2020 MacBook Air (with Intel chips)
It's not entirely surprising that those models would lose support for this year's version of macOS. They're already the oldest Apple computers that are officially compatible with macOS Sequoia, introduced in 2024.
They were likely on the chopping block for official support regardless of Apple's plan to redesign the UI.
Meanwhile, these are the devices that we expect should support the Solarium look:
- 2019 MacBook Pro 2019 or later
- 2019 Mac Pro or later
- 2020 iMac or later
- MacBook Air M1 or later
- Mac mini M1 or later
- Mac Studio — all models
The macOS 26 labeling has been rumored as a big change from Apple to unify all of its operating systems with a year-based convention. Similar to how car manufacturers name new versions of vehicles, the 26 would refer to 2026, but launch this year.
According to Apple Insider, the first developer beta for macOS 26 should come out around WWDC in June with a file size of around 17 GB, about 2 GB larger than Sequoia. They also believe Apple will keep its California naming convention with trademarks already filed for Redwood, Skyline or Diablo as potential options.
Apple's software plans will be made public during WWDC 2025, which is set to begin on June 9.
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