A long-tolerated behavior, now addressed
Anyone who uses a Mac knows how some apps behave like unwanted guests: you quit them, but they keep consuming RAM and CPU cycles invisibly. macOS 27 Golden Gate explicitly addresses this. According to 9to5Mac, the new operating system appears to make an example of apps that circumvent the standard macOS app lifecycle by remaining active in the background after the user has selected Quit.
Google Gemini in the crosshairs
The Google Gemini app for macOS had previously been flagged as a poor Mac citizen. With Golden Gate, this type of behavior is actively countered by the operating system itself. This is not a formally keynote-announced policy, but a behavioral change surfaced by developer beta testing and reported by 9to5Mac as one of the most practically significant additions for users who care about system resources.
Why it matters
The move is consistent with Apple's philosophy on energy transparency and app lifecycle integrity. Over time, if this behavior is enforced consistently across third-party apps, it could translate into improved battery life and a more predictable system experience for users.