The transition closes
With macOS 27, Apple formally completes the transition that began in 2020: Intel-based Macs will not be able to install the new operating system. macOS Tahoe (26) will remain the last version compatible with that hardware generation.
The direct consequence concerns Rosetta 2, the binary translator that allowed 64-bit Intel apps to run on Apple Silicon. TechRepublic notes that the move marks "the beginning of the end" for that technology, with concrete implications for organizations still managing Intel Mac fleets.
What changes in practice
For consumer users the impact is limited: Apple Silicon has been shipping for nearly six years. The burden falls mainly on IT teams maintaining legacy software compiled only for x86-64 architecture. These applications, previously protected by Rosetta 2, will need to be updated or replaced before the fleet is moved to macOS 27.