Apple’s macOS 11 Big Sur is the most exciting Mac beta for a generation, because the steady introduction of support for Apple Silicon means early testers may encounter unexpected challenges as development accelerates.
Friends don’t let friends install betas on primary Macs
This is also why no one should install either the developer or public beta (when it appears) of the new Mac OS on their primary machine – doing so is a risk every year, but this year could deliver even more than the usual surprises.
Apple is now working through the beta release cycle. As such it’s virtually certain we’ll see new editions of the developer and any subsequent public beta (if and when) they appear. (Public betas are typically the same as the preceding developer beta, with any identified wrinkles removed.)
The bottom line remains the same – no one should ever install beta software on their main system, particularly if their income depends on that system.
So, why might this year’s beta series pose fresh challenges?
It’s all about the Apple Silicon
Apple has made Developer Transition Kit Macs running Apple Silicon available to developers, but most people will be running the latest Mac beta on Intel-based Macs.
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