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Apple Deprecating KEXTs. End of Hackintosh?

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Per Apple's Dev Support website:

"Deprecated Kernel Extensions and System Extension Alternatives

System extensions on macOS Catalina (10.15) allow software like network extensions and endpoint security solutions to extend the functionality of macOS without requiring kernel-level access. At WWDC19, we announced the deprecation of kernel extensions as part of our ongoing effort to modernize the platform, improve security and reliability, and enable more user-friendly distribution methods. Kernel programming interfaces (KPIs) will be deprecated as alternatives become available, and future OS releases will no longer load kernel extensions that use deprecated KPIs by default."

Full story
here.

Are we living in the last days of the Hackintosh era? Could Catalina possibly be the last "hackintoshable" distro?
 
The statement is "Kernel programming interfaces (KPIs) will be deprecated as alternatives become available, and future OS releases will no longer load kernel extensions that use deprecated KPIs by default."

So we're talking about KPIs, not kexts as a general concept. Some of them are deprecating. Quite normal life cycle. "...as alternatives become available" - so some of them maybe never.

I see no imminent threat to what we have now. I ain't bothered and woud use Catalaina the next 10yrs if I had to.
 
Here's what Download-Fritz, one of the OpenCore developers and part of the acidanthera team, had to say about kexts in future macOS versions.

Screen Shot 2020-02-11 at 2.17.18 AM.png


It appears that the debate on whether to inject kexts via bootloader or not will finally be put to rest very soon.
 
The statement is "Kernel programming interfaces (KPIs) will be deprecated as alternatives become available, and future OS releases will no longer load kernel extensions that use deprecated KPIs by default."

So we're talking about KPIs, not kexts as a general concept. Some of them are deprecating. Quite normal life cycle. "...as alternatives become available" - so some of them maybe never.

I see no imminent threat to what we have now. I ain't bothered and woud use Catalaina the next 10yrs if I had to.

We are talking about Kexts as the way they are being used in Hackintosh methods of today. Apple is essentially tossing everyone out of that space and reclaiming it for their exclusive use in a legitimate move to enhance OS security, as kexts are a major malware entry that's anticipated to grow worse as cyber attacks on Macs rise.

And while full deprecation won't happen until post Catalina, with the next update to Catalina your system is going to be nagging you with warnings about their imminent demise.
 
yeah, Apple's definitely putting up a fight.
the new Macbook Airs released today run on Intel 10th gen cpus
and onboard graphic upgraded to Intel Iris

Hackintosh only edge is narrowing towards upgradability
 
I think the bigger long term threat to Hackintosh is the move ARM. Try finding a compatible ARM CPU and motherboard. The ARM CPU is a custom A-Series CPU which won't be for sale outside an Apple device.


Deprecated doesn't mean dead, it just means it is on the list to die or be replaced. Hackintosh may get a warning on boot but it will still work.

I wonder how many Apple developers run Hackintosh :) and if they are willing to cut their own throat.

We may be beginning the long tail of the Intel based Hackintosh.
 
I just saw this from Bloomberg:
"Apple prepping own Mac chip for 2021
Apr. 23, 2020 7:21 AM ET|About: Apple Inc. (AAPL)|By: Brandy Betz, SA News Editor
Codenamed Kalamata, the project to develop multiple chips suggests Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) will transition more of its Mac processors away from current supplier Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), reports Bloomberg.
The so-called "systems-on-a-chip" is based on the A14 processor coming in the next iPhone, and Taiwan Semi (NYSE:TSM) - the current manufacturer of iPad and iPhone processors - will build the new Mac chips, say sources.
The first Mac processors will have eight high-performance cores - codenamed Firestorm - and at least four energy-efficient cores, codenamed Icestorm. Apple's designs for some Macs will double or quadruple the number of cores provided by Intel."

This doesn't look like good news for Hackintoshers.
 
This doesn't look like good news for Hackintoshers.
All the Intel Macs from 2019/20 will still be supported till at least 2025 minimum. There will be a way to keep running our Intel hacks for a long time with no problems. By five years or more from now, there may also be many ARM based PCs that run Windows 10 or Linux too. Really no need to panic, the transition will take a relatively long time. The Intel transition lasted 18 months from 2006 into 2007. This time Apple won't be so Gung Ho as they say.
 
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my opinion, if Apple ever switches to an arm base cpu, then who would want to buy apple products. let alone hackintosh. Apple does A great job building their own CPU's for iPads, and iPhones. However, AMD, and Intel have been building, and refining the process of building A phenomenal CPU for years. I think if they switched to an ARM based CPU, gaming on it would be A joke. They could do it, but if they did I think I would just stick with windows then.
 
my opinion, if Apple ever switches to an arm base cpu, then who would want to buy apple products. let alone hackintosh. Apple does A great job building their own CPU's for iPads, and iPhones. However, AMD, and Intel have been building, and refining the process of building A phenomenal CPU for years. I think if they switched to an ARM based CPU, gaming on it would be A joke. They could do it, but if they did I think I would just stick with windows then.
Seems pretty clear Apple will announce ARM at WWDC. What does this mean for the lifespan of hackintosh and do you think ARM will be instituted across the entire portfolio or just the MacBook lines? If they keep Intel for Mac Pro, can I assume hackintoshers are safe?
 
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