What you need to know
- Apple announced macOS Ventura at WWDC this week.
- The 13th iteration of macOS includes some pretty major updates to Mac.
- One new feature brings support for Rosetta in ARM Linux Virtual Machines using Apple silicon.
Apple announced a slew of updates to Mac with macOS Ventura at WWDC this week, including a new feature that will let users take advantage of Rosetta inside ARM Linux virtual machines.
macOS Ventura will let users run x86_64 Linux binaries under ARM Linux using the same Rosetta translation software that lets users run Intel apps on Apple silicon. From Apple:
In macOS 13 and later on Mac computers with Apple silicon chips, the Virtualization framework supports Rosetta in ARM Linux virtual machines (VMs). Rosetta is a translation process that allows users to run apps that contain x86_64 instructions on Apple silicon. In macOS, this allows apps built for Intel-based Mac computers to run seamlessly on Apple silicon; Rosetta allows the same capability for Intel Linux apps in ARM Linux VMs.
Whoa this is wild. The new macOS will translate Intel Linux binaries running in ARM Linux VMs. https://t.co/sgYeW0n26wWhoa this is wild. The new macOS will translate Intel Linux binaries running in ARM Linux VMs. https://t.co/sgYeW0n26w— Wesley Moore (@wezm) June 7, 2022June 7, 2022
Apple does note that Rosetta "doesn't support the bootstrapping or installation of Intel Linux distributions on Mac computers with Apple silicon using the Virtualization framework" but that Intel Linux distributions can run using the Virtualization framework on Intel Macs without the need for translation.
Applications of the new update could include using Steam inside of Linux or x86 apps in Ubuntu inside Parallels.
macOS Ventura also includes updates to its window management, new connectivity and productivity tools and new Continuity features including an option to turn your iPhone into the webcam on a Mac.
The first developer beta of macOS Ventura is out now, and a public release should become available next month.
