Apple’s announcement of macOS Tahoe 26 at WWDC 2025 has captured widespread attention, stirring both excitement and curiosity in the tech community. This iteration of macOS introduces a sweeping design overhaul alongside significant functional upgrades, but it also heralds a notable turning point: macOS Tahoe will be the last major release supporting Intel-based Macs. As Apple moves decisively toward exclusive adoption of its proprietary silicon, Tahoe embodies the company’s evolving vision for its desktop ecosystem. Among the many new features, the debut of the Phone app on Mac stands out as a harbinger of an impending shift towards cellular-enabled Macs, which could finally untether Apple’s laptops from Wi-Fi or tethered iPhones. This analysis delves into the major facets of macOS Tahoe, from its striking “Liquid Glass” design language and the new Phone app’s role in Apple’s Continuity ecosystem, to the broader implications of ending Intel Mac support and embracing Apple Silicon exclusively.
The visual revamp introduced in macOS Tahoe is nothing short of a transformation. Dubbed the “Liquid Glass” design, this updated user interface replaces the flatter, more muted aesthetics of macOS Big Sur with a vibrant, translucent effect that permeates key interface elements like the Dock, toolbars, and app navigation panels. This design language imbues the system with a fluid, almost liquid quality, enhancing the feeling of depth and layering on the desktop. Unlike the last major design refresh five years ago, Tahoe’s UI feels more expressive and personal, creating a dynamic workspace that doesn’t just look slick but also subtly improves usability. The softened translucency and smoother animations reduce visual clutter and make interactions feel more intuitive and responsive. It’s a classic Apple move — blending beauty with function — that keeps macOS both contemporary and inviting for the user. Developers and users alike can expect a more engaging desktop environment where the interface plays a supporting yet compelling role.
Perhaps the most talked-about new feature in Tahoe is the arrival of the Phone app on Mac, marking a bold step in Apple’s Continuity ecosystem. This app mirrors the iPhone’s phone interface, allowing users to make and receive cellular calls directly on their Mac when paired with an iPhone. Features like Favorites, Voicemail, Call Screening, and Hold Assist are baked in, along with integration for Live Activities connected to ongoing calls. While initially dependent on a connected iPhone, the Phone app’s seamless integration suggests Apple is laying groundwork for future Macs with built-in cellular capabilities. Cellular Macs, a long-rumored but unconfirmed category, would let users maintain internet and phone connectivity without relying on Wi-Fi or tethering to a phone. It’s as if Apple is hacking the line between computer and phone, transforming Macs into devices that communicate independently on mobile networks. By deepening synchronization between Mac and iPhone, Tahoe pushes the vision of a fluid multi-device experience where hardware boundaries blur—a sage nod to the future of mobile computing.
MacOS Tahoe also signals a decisive endpoint: it will be the final major macOS update that supports Intel-based Macs. Apple’s strategic pivot toward exclusive support for Apple Silicon hardware crystallizes here, underscoring the company’s efforts to tailor macOS for the tightly integrated ARM-based architecture it designed, first introduced with the M1 chip. Notably, Tahoe narrows Intel compatibility, limiting it to only select newer Intel models, which accelerates the phasing out of older Intel Macs. For users still on these legacy machines, this means that future macOS updates and feature enhancements will no longer be accessible, nudging the tide toward hardware upgrades sooner than many might have expected. Beyond user impact, this shift effectively signals the end of the Hackintosh scene—enthusiasts building macOS-compatible PCs with Intel parts—closing a chapter of DIY Mac enthusiasts. From a development standpoint, focusing exclusively on Apple Silicon means macOS can be more deeply optimized, delivering greater performance efficiency and battery life improvements that Intel hardware struggled to achieve. It’s a calculated reboot of the platform’s hardware base.
Beyond the headline changes, macOS Tahoe bolsters productivity with sharper, smarter tools powered by Apple Intelligence. The revamped Spotlight search engine gains remarkable speed and contextual awareness, allowing it to handle complex queries with ease, delivering instant, actionable results. System-wide shortcuts and automation leap forward, with users now empowered to create multi-step workflows like text summarization or AI-assisted image generation directly on-device, offering power-user capabilities without sacrificing privacy. Tahoe also enhances Continuity features beyond the Phone app—enabling real-time updates and deeper cross-device interactions, such as Live Activities showing Uber statuses or delivery tracking directly on the Mac. These features collectively suggest Apple’s desire to keep users immersed effortlessly in their digital lives, no matter which Apple device they’re on.
macOS Tahoe 26 arrives as a milestone both technological and symbolic, embodying Apple’s vision of a tightly integrated, sleek, and intelligent desktop environment. The “Liquid Glass” design breathes fresh life into the macOS UI, balancing aesthetics with practical usability improvements. The Phone app’s introduction hints at a future where Macs might finally become cellular-capable devices, breaking free of Wi-Fi dependency. Yet it also marks a farewell to Intel-based Macs, consolidating Apple’s commitment to its own silicon and signaling future macOS innovation will be Silicon-first—and Silicon-only.
For users and developers, this means adapting to a new hardware reality while enjoying a host of refined features: smarter search, advanced automation, and seamless device continuity. More than just incremental updates, macOS Tahoe charts a confident course toward Apple’s envisioned future—one where Mac devices are more visually compelling, smarter, and integrated than ever before, ready to embrace new hardware frontiers and redefine what desktop computing can be.
发表回复