The Future is Now! (And What You Should Know About It…)

So last month I wrote about how Intel-based apps will be rendered useless when (and if) you install the next macOS (Golden Gate), which is due out later this month. (But only if you own a Mac with an Apple Silicone chip – which was released late 2020.) To recap: For the most part, this has very little effect on your day-to-day workflow, as most of today’s applications have an updated version that allows them to run. Some older apps I’m using – namely Quicken and Sound Studio – have to be updated, both of which I must pay for.

What else do you need to know in Apple’s new world order?

USB-C adapters: Apple has discontinued the standard USB port for the new-age USB-C cables. You can still use old-school USB peripherals (hard drives, flash drives, CD/DVD drives, printers, etc.), only with a USB to USB-C adapter.*

* Important note: Adapters plugged into other adapters rarely work in the Mac world. This means connecting a USB drive with a USB to USB-C cable into a multi-port adapter isn’t the best idea.

Internal storage: Modern Macs have less “hard drive” capacity than their predecessors from years ago. That’s due to using solid state drives (SSDs) in recent models. (And the price of SSDs has skyrocketed in recent years, dues to overseas issues, as well as shortages due to their use in data centers.) In addition, unlike past models, upgrading the internal storage after purchase is impossible, so plan head.

RAM: Similar to internal storage, newer models don’t allow upgrades of RAM either. You’re stuck with what you’ve bought. Again, plan accordingly.

Ethernet ports: Apple’s laptops haven’t have an Ethernet port in years, but the latest iMac models don’t come with a built-in Ethernet port either. (The original 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang listed reverse lights and a radio as options, but that’s a story for another time.) If you want your iMac to connect via Ethernet, make sure you choose the option that allows that.

Lightning cables: The “old” iPhone connector cables had the Lightning connector (the smaller one) to plug into the phone, as opposed to the current USB-C which is now the standard, a trend that started with the iPhone 15. Thank our European friends for that one.