O'Grady's PowerPage

  • OpenCore Legacy Patcher project’s future, macOS Tahoe support on Intel-based Macs, may be in doubt

    OpenCore Legacy Patcher project’s future, macOS Tahoe support on Intel-based Macs, may be in doubt

    It’s been a good run, but the OpenCore Legacy Patcher, which allows various versions of the macOS operating system to run on unsupported hardware, may be up against even more challenges than ever, thereby making it almost impossible to get macOS Tahoe running on unsupported Intel-based Macs.

    As is customary with every macOS release, Apple has ended support for select Mac models. This typically occurs when a Mac is several years out of date and lacks the hardware required for the latest user interface elements or features. For years, the OpenCore Legacy Patcher project has worked around this, and has been able to bring macOS Big Sur through macOS Sequoia to Intel Macs dating back to 2007.

    Unfortunately, Apple’s macOS Tahoe release has proven to be much more difficult for the project’s shrinking team. Aside from difficulties with T2-equipped Macs and the usual missing drivers, the key figures of the project have unfortunately moved on. Mykola Grymalyuk, the lead developer, for instance, is no longer affiliated with the OpenCore Legacy Patcher, having accepted a position at Apple. Other developers have left as well.

    On March 22nd, the OCLP team announced that donations would no longer be accepted, thereby threatening the future of the project and its potential ability to bring macOS Tahoe support to Intel-based Macs.

    The developers, in turned, have commented that they “do not know if any Apple Silicon Macs will become unsupported anytime soon, and if they are, whether developing a patcher is feasible.”

    Nonetheless, efforts to bring macOS Tahoe to older Intel Macs are still ongoing, even if there’s no clear release timeline. It remains to be seen just how long we’ll have to wait to see macOS 26 running on older Apple hardware.

    At present, users of select Intel-based Macs can continue to update to macOS Sequoia through the OpenCore Legacy Patcher, which supports up to the macOS Sequoia 15.7.5 security update, which was released on Tuesday.

    For the time being, the OpenCore Legacy Patcher is not completely dead and is still chugging along, but it could be some time before full macOS Tahoe support arrives for unsupported Macs.

    If you’ve had success with the OpenCore Legacy Patcher and running unsupported versions of macOS on your Intel-based Mac, please let us know in the comments.

    Via AppleInsider and opencollective.com

  • Apple opens pre-orders for AirPods Max 2 headphones, targets April 1st delivery date for U.S. customers

    Apple opens pre-orders for AirPods Max 2 headphones, targets April 1st delivery date for U.S. customers

    If you’re hankering for the Apple’s new AirPods Max 2 headphones, which were announced on March 16, Apple has just opened up its pre-orders page on the Apple.com website.

    In the U.S., Apple’s online store lists a delivery timeframe of April 1 to April 3.

    The AirPods Max 2 headphones are priced at $549 and feature the same design as the original AirPods Max headphones, but also incorporate the H2 chip, which adds new capabilities that are currently being offered by other AirPods models.

    The H2 chip delivers up to 1.5x better Active Noise Cancellation with computational audio algorithms that are better able to detect and mitigate outside sound. Real-time Live Translation is supported, and features like Adaptive Audio, Voice Isolation, Conversation Awareness, Loud Sound Reduction, and Personalized Volume are available.

    Other bells answered whistles include Bluetooth 5.3 support, a new high dynamic range amplifier that offers more consistent bass as well as more natural-sounding mids and highs, and improved localization of instruments. The new Transparency Mode sounds more natural than before, and the Digital Crown found on the headset can be used as a camera shutter for the iPhone or iPad.

    The headset uses a USB-C connection to charge with the battery lasting up to 20 hours in Active Noise Cancellation mode before needing to be recharged. Like the prior-generation USB-C model, the ‌AirPods Max 2‌ support 24-bit 48kHz lossless audio over USB-C, and ship with a Smart Case. Color options continue to include midnight, starlight, orange, purple, and blue.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and Apple

  • Apple releases macOS Tahoe 26.4 update

    Apple releases macOS Tahoe 26.4 update

    Amid Monday’s update-o-rama, Apple released the much-anticipated macOS Tahoe 26.4 update.

    The update offers the following fixes, changes, and new features:

    Battery & Power:
    • New Charge Limit setting
    • Set the maximum battery charge between 80 percent – 100 percent to extend battery lifespan
    • Integrated into System Settings (Battery)
    • Can be automated via Shortcuts (e.g., tied to Focus modes)

    Safari:
    • Compact Tab Bar returns
    • Optional UI mode for a more condensed browsing layout

    Platform & Compatibility:
    • Rosetta 2 deprecation warnings
    • Alerts when launching Intel-based apps on Apple Silicon Macs
    • Signals upcoming removal in future macOS releases

    Apps & Features:
    • Freeform enhancements
    • New Creator Studio–related tools and expanded capabilities
    • Podcasts improvements
    • Smoother switching between audio and video podcast formats

    Emoji:
    • 8 new emoji added, including:
    • Orca
    • Trombone
    • Landslide
    • Ballet dancer
    • Treasure chest
    • (and more)

    System & UI Fixes:
    • Fixes and improvements to:
    • Window resizing behavior (corner radius issues)
    • General system stability and performance
    • Ongoing bug fixes across UI and system components

    Developer Updates:
    • API and platform improvements, including:
    • Enhanced StoreKit behavior
    • Network MIDI 2.0 support
    • Asset pack and backend improvements

    Additional Changes:
    • Improved battery health management system-wide
    • Continued transition away from Intel-based Mac support
    • Minor UI tweaks and under-the-hood optimizations

    As usual, the update can be located, downloaded, and installed by navigating to Apple > System Settings > General > Software Update and proceeding from there.

    If you’ve had a chance to try the macOS Tahoe 26.4 update, please let us know about your experience in the comments.

    Via AppleInsider

  • Apple releases iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4 updates

    Apple releases iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4 updates

    Monday was a day of copious software updates as Apple released iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4, the latest versions of its mobile operating systems.

    The updates offer the following fixes, changes, and new features:

    Apple Music

    • Playlist Playground (beta) generates a playlist from your description, complete with a title, description, and tracklist
    • Concerts helps you discover nearby shows from artists in your library and recommends new artists based on what you listen to
    • Offline Music Recognition in Control Center identifies songs without an internet connection and delivers results automatically when you’re back online
    • Ambient Music widget for Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing brings curated playlists to the Home Screen
    • Full screen backgrounds give album and playlist pages a more immersive look

    Accessibility

    • Reduce bright effects setting minimizes bright flashes when tapping on elements like buttons
    • Subtitle and caption settings are available from the captions icon while viewing media, making them easier to find, customize, and preview
    • Reduce Motion setting more reliably reduces the animations of Liquid Glass for users sensitive to on screen motion

    This update also includes the following enhancements:

    • 8 new emoji including an orca, trombone, landslide, ballet dancer, and distorted face are available in the emoji keyboard
    • Freeform gains advanced image creation and editing tools, and a premium content library, joining Apple Creator Studio
    • Mark reminders as urgent from the Quick Toolbar or by touching and holding, and filter for urgent reminders in your Smart Lists
    • Purchase Sharing lets adult members in Family Sharing groups use their own payment method when making purchases, without relying on the family organizer
    • Improved keyboard accuracy when typing quickly

    As usual, the updates can be located, downloaded, and installed on eligible iPhones and iPads by going to Settings > General > Software Update and proceeding from there.

    If you’ve had a chance to try the updates, please let us know about your experience in the comments.

    Via MacRumors

  • Rumor: iPhone Fold reported to use “glass sandwich” approach to help reduce possible screen damage

    Rumor: iPhone Fold reported to use “glass sandwich” approach to help reduce possible screen damage

    When in doubt, go for the protective sandwich design.

    In its quest to prevent damage to the iPhone Fold display and avoid the same pitfalls as other hardware manufacturers have fallen into, Apple may be slated to go beyond using “self-healing glass” and a seamless hinge design and use a sandwich approach to the display panel of the upcoming device.

    In a Monday post to Chinese social media website Weibo, serial leaker Digital Chat Station has claimed that Apple may use a dual-layer UTG/UFG (Ultra-Thin Glass/Ultra-Thin Flexible Glass) structure. The actual display layer would be placed between two thin glass layers, with one above and one below.

    If so, this would help prevent the display from contacting the hinge mechanism directly. As the iPhone Fold flexes, the screen and hinge will move around, potentially making contact with each other. Another reason for this would be to reduce the mechanical stress induced by the act of folding. With glass layers on both sides, the glass elements will take most of the strain in the folding process, minimizing the stress on the display panel section.

    Back in December, Digital Chat Station claimed Apple was exploring the use of UFG for the display, and that there were still some “technical challenges” to overcome. However, previous reports said that Apple had solved its display design puzzle.

    Apple is thought to be shipping the iPhone fold later this year, with some rumors claiming the unit will feature a visible crease, while others have stated that the crease is barely observable to its users.

    Other additional features to the display could include advanced protection from scratches in the form of two film materials that Apple could put on top of the foldable glass to prevent damage to the screen itself. This technique has been used by Samsung Display, which is a major partner in Apple’s supply chain, and thus could be adding the element to the iPhone Fold.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider and Weibo