VMware Launches Fusion 8 and Fusion 8 Pro With Windows 10, OS X El Capitan and Cortana Support

by

VMware today launched Fusion 8 and Fusion 8 Pro, the latest versions of its virtualization software for running Windows on a Mac without rebooting. Fusion 8 and Fusion 8 Pro include full support for Windows 10, OS X El Capitan and the latest Retina Macs, in addition to always-on access to Microsoft Cortana.

VMware Fusion 8
Fusion 8 and Fusion 8 Pro support DirectX 10 and OpenGL 3.3 for up to 65% faster graphics, alongside compatibility with USB 3.0 and multiple monitors with different DPIs. The virtual machine platform also delivers full 64-bit support with up to 16 vCPUs, 64GB RAM and an 8TB hard drive for a single virtual machine.

Fusion 8 and Fusion 8 Pro are optimized for the latest Macs, including the iMac with Retina 5K Display and 12-inch MacBook. DirectX 10 support enables Mac users to run Windows virtual machines with native resolution on a 5K display, with USB-C support and Force Touch pass-through also in tow for the latest MacBooks.

Fusion 8 Pro has additional advanced features and improvements, including the ability to connect to VMware vCloud Air, IPv6 support for both bridged networks and IPv6-to-IPv4 Network Address Translation (NAT), improved integration with VMware vSphere and support for several new Linux distributions and other operating systems.

Fusion 8 Pro OS
Fusion 8 and Fusion 8 Pro are available today for $79.99 and $199.99 respectively through the VMware Online Store, while existing Fusion 6 or 7 customers can upgrade to Fusion 8 for $49.99 or Fusion 8 Pro for $119.99.

Parallels Desktop for Mac users also receive 40% off Fusion 8 and Fusion 8 Pro.

Tags: Cortana, Fusion 8, Fusion 8 Pro, VMware, Windows 10
Related Forum: OS X El Capitan

Popular Stories

Tim Cook WWDC 2018

Report: Tim Cook to Step Down as Apple CEO 'as Soon as Next Year'

Saturday November 15, 2025 2:40 pm PST by
Apple is preparing for Tim Cook to step down as CEO of the company "as soon as next year," according to the Financial Times. The company's board of directors and senior executives "recently intensified preparations for Cook to hand over the reins," the report said. While the report said that Apple is unlikely to name a new CEO before its next earnings report in late January, it went on to ...
Read Full Article • 465 comments
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Thursday November 13, 2025 11:35 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods 4, and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 firmware is 8B21, all up from the prior 8A358 firmware released in October. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 3...
Read Full Article • 68 comments
iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.2 Beta 3

Monday November 17, 2025 3:20 pm PST by
Apple provided developers with the third beta of an upcoming iOS 26.2 update, and there are still new features that are being added with each beta that we get. We've rounded up all of the changes that Apple made in beta 3. AirDrop Apple added new AirDrop functionality, providing a way for two people to share files temporarily without having to add one another as contacts. iOS 26.2...
Read Full Article • 20 comments
best early black friday deals

Best Black Friday Apple Deals Live Now - Save on AirPods, iPads, and Apple Watches

Saturday November 15, 2025 1:45 pm PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
Read Full Article • 3 comments
Apple Wallet ID Illinois

iPhone Driver's License Feature Launching in Illinois

Tuesday November 18, 2025 8:47 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Starting this Wednesday, November 19, the feature will be available to residents of Illinois. The announcement confirmed that the...
Read Full Article • 59 comments
iPhone Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket Now Available to Order, But Already Selling Out

Friday November 14, 2025 6:20 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. iPhone Pocket is available to order on Apple's online store starting today, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. However, it is already completely sold out in the United...
Read Full Article • 200 comments
apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple m5

Apple's 2026 Mac Plans

Friday November 14, 2025 3:23 pm PST by
Most of Apple's Macs are slated to get M5 chips across 2026, and there's a possibility we'll even see the first M6 chips toward the end of the year. Updates are planned for everything from the MacBook Air to the Mac Studio. MacBook Air (Early 2026) The MacBook Air will be one of the first Macs to get a 2026 refresh, with an update planned for the first few months of the year. The MacBook...
Read Full Article • 157 comments
CarPlay Liquid Glass Dark

Here's When Tesla is Expected to Add Support for Apple CarPlay

Sunday November 16, 2025 6:49 am PST by
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated that Tesla plans to add Apple CarPlay support to its vehicles "in the coming months." This is easily the biggest news for the regular version of CarPlay in years, should Tesla actually follow through with offering the system in its vehicles. As noted by Gurman, this would be a stunning reversal for Tesla and its CEO Elon ...
Read Full Article • 114 comments
tvOS 26 Profiles

tvOS 26.2 Adds a Useful New Feature to Your Apple TV

Friday November 14, 2025 10:02 am PST by
Starting with the upcoming tvOS 26.2 update, currently in beta, additional profiles created on the Apple TV no longer require their own Apple Account. In the Settings app on the Apple TV, under Profiles and Accounts, anyone can create a new profile by simply entering a name and indicating whether the profile is for a kid. The profile will be associated with the primary user's Apple Account,...
Read Full Article
Apple Sports App Preview Feature

Apple Sports App on iPhone Now Available in More European Countries

Monday November 17, 2025 6:27 am PST by
The free Apple Sports app on the iPhone was released in additional European countries today, including Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Poland, Hungary, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Greece, Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Ukraine, and others. The app was already available in the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Austria, France, Germany,...
Read Full Article • 22 comments

Top Rated Comments

Gymgenius Avatar
Gymgenius
134 months ago
If you install Windows 10, even if in Fusion or any VM, make sure you go i to Network part of the Control Panel and go to Advanced settings and tuen off sharing updates accross the Internet. If you don't do that little change then you could hit your Internet bandwidth limit that most ISPs have now.

Microsoft wants to make you Knternet connect part of a Torrent sharing botnet! You have to Opt-Out the Network panel settings.
I've opted out of Windows completely. I wish my company would do the same.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
any-key Avatar
any-key
134 months ago
Seems over priced given the cost of the Win 10 and OSX operating systems
I guess everything seems overpriced compared to 0$.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
satcomer Avatar
satcomer
134 months ago
If you install Windows 10, even if in Fusion or any VM, make sure you go to Network part of the Control Panel and go to Advanced settings and turn off sharing updates accross the Internet. If you don't do that little change then you could hit your Internet bandwidth limit that most ISPs have now.

Microsoft wants to make you Internet connect part of a Torrent sharing botnet! You have to Opt-Out the Network panel settings.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ciphershort Avatar
ciphershort
134 months ago
What is better, Fusion 8 or Parallels 11?
You could always use Virtual Box. It's free and does a great job. I'm running Windows 10 on it now and it is cross platform (Windows, Mac, and Linux). But to answer your question, I've always had a better experience with Fusion.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
AngerDanger
134 months ago
Fusion 8 and Fusion 8 Pro include full support for Windows 10, OS X El Capitan and the latest Retina Macs, in addition to always-on access to Microsoft Cortana
It's amazing that Apple has had Speakable Items for 22 years—and eventually allowed it to carry out actions after saying a keyword—but Windows is the closest thing to a hands-free assistant we can get for OS X.

For those interested in integrating voice commands with dictation, Apple does provide this feature, but you have to enable it yourself. ('https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203085')

I'm just waiting to be able to say, "Spotlight, find images that have transparency, are under 200kb, and were made in the past 24 hours."
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
n-evo Avatar
n-evo
134 months ago
I'm getting a bit annoyed with VMware and Parallels using the yearly OS X release cycle as an excuse to push very expensive updates witch are marginally better. But hey, it's mostly companies who buy these things with enough cash to burn. They're definitely making good use of that.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments