Big Sur SSV updates and their impact on KEXT and Hackintosh developments
Big Sur SSV updates and their impact on KEXT and Hackintosh developments
Hi Guys, Testing the new macOS Big Sur I have notice nobody on the YouTube or other streaming communities as talk about the SSV new feature and Data Protection available on the next release of Apple desktop system and what represents for the Future of Hackintoshers . For the hackintosh community this article represents that the new macOS will count with a "Sign System Volume" protection on the core system and on the next Apple Silicon will count with also a some kind of "data protection" mechanism. According the article, the new System Volume will be like a kind of snapshot of the original core and will accept only data ( code or not ) that has been signed by Apple. Not related to the Read-only volume available on Catalina that allowed to run sudo commands and have persistent code on it. Thanks that Linus Media Group has one of the best hackintoshers I have ever seen on the Dark Side . I will like to see if they can come with a hackintosh video testing this out. If there's persistent Kext support or will break existing hackintoshes on an update, etc, like also testing alternatives like OpenCore or Clover to check compatibility issues. My source of the news: https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=3xpv8r2m
I have a suspicion that Big Sur might be the last version of macOS where a hackintosh is possible at all. Once Apple transition everything to ARM there's no reason for them to keep any of the X86 code in the kernel.
They promise continued support for years ahead. With ongoing modifications and new methods for their own transition to Apple Silicon, I believe Rosetta 2 or similar translation layers will emerge. These could translate X86 code into ARM formats handled by Apple’s own tools. This would allow native assembly for X86 to be processed directly through these layers, eliminating the need for developers to customize apps or rely on translation technologies. At the moment, there are no public updates on kernel code at https://opensource.apple.com. Once available, it would be impressive to see the extent of their core-level changes.
If Apple confirms their plans, x86 compatibility could endure past Big Sur, though future changes remain uncertain. Reviewing their previous roadmap suggests Intel Mac support may be short-lived. In 2005 they announced the Intel shift, 2006 brought OS X Tiger for Intel with updates until 2009. By 2007 Mac OS X Leopard supported both PowerPC and Intel, lasting until 2011. 2009 introduced Snow Leopard for Intel only, with Rosetta as an optional update. Despite these trends, Apple is expected to continue releasing Intel-based models this year, ensuring Hackintosh remains viable. By 2021 ARM Macs will dominate, and by 2022 even the Mac Pro might follow suit.