(Credit: Zain bin Awais/PCMag)
Windows has always been my operating system of choice. But I recently bought a MacBook Air, which is a bargain at a time when Windows laptops are only getting more expensive—and the MacBook Neo is an even better deal. Apple’s Mac hardware has never been so clearly competitive, but macOS still isn’t ideal for many Windows users.
Ahead of Apple's likely announcement of macOS 27 at WWDC in June, I've identified exactly what it needs to do on the software front to tear me away from my many Windows 11 PCs.
1. Make Gaming a Real Priority (Valve’s Proton Tool Could Help)
Gaming is still the Mac’s biggest weakness. Anyone who wants to play PC games is better off with a Windows desktop PC or gaming laptop. Apple needs a better strategy to build the Mac’s gaming ecosystem.
Apple periodically announces major Mac games, such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Death Stranding, and touts that macOS is ready for game developers. But regardless of the flashy press it gets around these announcements, or whether its Game Porting Toolkit actually makes things easier for developers, PC game makers just aren’t bringing their titles over en masse.
A related problem is backward compatibility. With macOS 10.15 Catalina in 2019, Apple ended support for 32-bit Mac applications. As a result, many games that developers ported to Mac stopped working. Meanwhile, I can fire up Steam on my Windows PC and run 30-year-old games made for Windows 1995 in a few clicks.
Apple is in the midst of another transition right now, too. Tahoe is the last version of macOS for Intel-based Macs, and macOS 27 will be the last version to support Rosetta, a translation layer that runs 64-bit Intel applications on modern Arm-based Macs. Apple says it will “keep a subset of Rosetta functionality aimed at supporting older, unmaintained gaming titles,” so the company seems to understand the importance of backward compatibility with games.
Valve's work on the Linux-powered SteamOS, which uses the Proton compatibility layer to seamlessly run Windows games in a few clicks, demonstrates what's possible in this space. Game developers don’t have to do any extra work to get their games running on a Steam Deck or Linux PC. Valve is already backing projects to make Windows games work on Arm versions of Linux, too. Proton doesn’t work on Macs, but the project is open-source. Apple should work with Valve to enable Proton on Macs, bringing Linux-style Windows game compatibility to the Platform.
2. Allow More Powerful Apps in the App Store
Many Mac apps aren’t available in the Mac App Store because of Apple’s overbearing policies, and that's unacceptable.
Whereas Microsoft now lets developers deliver full desktop applications in the Microsoft Store, the Mac App Store requires strict sandboxing, which prevents access to files and other system resources by default. Mac apps traditionally didn't work this way, and apps you get from outside the App Store aren’t subject to the same rules. This setup is beneficial for security, but it prevents some apps from working properly. Apps like BetterTouchTool, which lets you customize your Mac's input devices, and Hazel, which can watch folders to automatically organize files, are a few cult favorites that just aren't possible with Apple's sandboxing.
Additionally, Apple’s App Store rules are financially prohibitive for developers. Apple takes a 30% cut of sales. While developers have to accept this to offer mobile apps on the iOS App Store, the Mac enables developers to go straight to users. The Microsoft Store’s terms are more generous. For example, Microsoft lets developers keep 100% of revenue from Microsoft Store apps if they use a third-party payment processor. This might be why Spotify is available in Windows 11’s store and not the Mac App Store, for example.
Mac application developers have been complaining about these policies for over a decade. Now, many software makers have no choice but to distribute their programs outside of Apple’s App Store. That’s worse for discoverability and might actually be worse for security, as end users lose the convenience of automatic updates and might be more likely to download something malicious. Apple needs to listen to developers and let the Mac App Store host the full range of powerful Mac apps.
3. Further Optimize macOS for 8GB of RAM
The $599 MacBook Neo already performs well in day-to-day use with just 8GB of RAM, based on our testing. But, after reading some warnings that it can't handle some challenging workloads, I bought a MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM. Nonetheless, Apple needs to do everything it can to further optimize macOS for machines like the MacBook Neo going forward. Meanwhile, Microsoft is promising to optimize Windows 11’s RAM usage.
With RAM and storage prices high (and not coming down anytime soon), Windows PCs are getting more expensive. Microsoft just raised the price of 2024-era Surface machines, for instance. Many budget PC laptops already include 16GB of RAM to ensure reasonable Windows desktop performance, but Apple should attack the efficiency problem from the software side. The Neo's $599 price might rise significantly if Apple doubles its memory allotment.
4. Declare a Truce With Google and Embrace Android Phones
Apple's Continuity features let you make calls, send text messages, and share from your Mac. However, it only works with an iPhone. I wish my Android phone worked as well with a Mac as it does with Windows. On Windows, I can access my Android phone with the Phone Link app. I use this functionality every day to copy and paste SMS security codes to my PC.
I realize Apple wants me to switch to an iPhone, but I prefer my foldable Android phone. I shouldn’t have to buy a new phone just to be able to use it on my PC. People who prefer Android will have a better experience with ChromeOS or Windows, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Apple and Google should make peace, investing in a standard way for phones to communicate with computers.
5. Add Face ID to the Mac
The Mac should support Face ID, not just Touch ID. Apple currently restricts Face ID to iPads and iPhones, whereas many modern Windows laptops support facial recognition via Windows Hello. It’s faster to sign in with my face than with a fingerprint, and it’s something I miss on my MacBook. The MacBook Air and MacBook Pro already have notches where Face ID hardware could fit. Surely, at least some workaround via the iPhone webcam Continuity feature is possible.
6. Bring Back Boot Camp
Apple could solve many of my complaints simply by letting me run Windows on my Mac. So, here’s my modest proposal: Bring back Boot Camp.
Boot Camp lets older Intel-powered Macs install Windows and dual-boot. Apple left Boot Camp behind when it shifted to the M-series Arm chips, but Windows 11’s Arm version is now mature. Apple should reintroduce a version of Boot Camp for modern Macs that lets you switch between macOS and Windows with a reboot.
Although virtualization software, such as Parallels Desktop, UTM, and VMware Fusion, lets you run the Arm version of Windows in a virtual machine on macOS, the performance isn't suitable for intensive tasks, such as gaming.
Resurrecting Boot Camp would be very complex. Apple would have to make Windows drivers for its M-series hardware, for example. But I keep fantasizing about the possibility, like I did in the glory days of the Intel-powered MacBook Air. I wish I could use a Mac’s capable GPU to run PC games.
What I Actually Expect From Apple at WWDC
I don’t expect Apple to announce Android phone integration or the return of Boot Camp at WWDC. The company hasn’t shown any sign that it will loosen the reins on its Mac App Store either, and Face ID on the Mac will inevitably require new hardware. Gaming might get a mention, but I doubt there will be much appreciable change in the works.
Apple will, however, likely focus on efficiency and optimization, given the success of the MacBook Neo. Along with adding new Apple Intelligence features, I also expect macOS 27 to prioritize stability, polish, and refinements to the Liquid Glass experience.
Apple’s WWDC begins on June 8, so stay tuned for our upcoming coverage.