VMware Fusion 12 Announced With Support for macOS Big Sur, eGPUs, and More

Thursday August 20, 2020 5:01 am PDT by Eric Slivka

VMware today is announcing Fusion 12, the next major update to Fusion, its virtualization software that allows users to run a variety of operating systems on virtual machines within macOS.

vmware fusion 12 pro player
Fusion 12 brings several new updates and improvements, including eGPU compatibility, support for container-based applications built with Kubernetes, DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.1 support, improved security for the sandbox rendering engine, improved accessibility controls, and more.

VMware has also prepared Fusion 12 for the upcoming launch of macOS Big Sur, which will continue Apple's transition toward ending support for kernel extensions. VMware says that Fusion 12 will continue to run with kernel extensions on macOS Catalina, but will also support macOS Big Sur by using Apple's APIs to run its virtual machines and containers.

Finally, with this new version of Fusion, VMware is also shaking up its pricing with a new Fusion 12 Player licensing structure that is free for personal use. Fusion 12 Player users who want to use the software for commercial use will be able to purchase a license for $149, with an upgrade license available for $89 to those currently running Fusion 10 or 11.

A professional-level Fusion 12 Pro offers some additional power-user features and allows you to run on up to three devices (including Windows or Linux PCs running VMware's Workstation Pro), with pricing set at $199 for a new license or $99 as an upgrade. Discounted educational pricing will also be available for Fusion 12, although many students will also be able to take advantage of the free personal use license.

Users who purchased Fusion 11.5 or Fusion 11.5 Pro after June 15 will be eligible for a free upgrade to Fusion 12 Player (commercial license) or Fusion 12 Pro.

VMware hasn't yet announced a specific launch date for Fusion 12 Player and Fusion 12 Pro, other than a general timeframe of later this fiscal quarter, which runs through October for VMware. They will be available through VMware's online store and other outlets.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with VMware. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Tags: Fusion, VMware

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Top Rated Comments

alex2792

81 months ago

But still I don't understand whether Windows will be supported/emulated when you run BigSur on ARM. Or will this work only with Intel+BigSur?

Intel only.

Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)

nph

81 months ago

Well, with this pricing it is bye bye Parallels and VMWare here i come! I only use it occasionally so for me the new pricing is perfect. For my intel imac I can then run Windows the few times i need to without the recurring cost Parallels charge.

Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Marbles1

81 months ago

Cool. Glad a bought this years MacBook Pro. Will be great to have years of support for running Windows apps alongside Mac apps, rather than going back to the restrictions we left behind in the 2000s.

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

martmeister

81 months ago

Am I the only one here excited by the prospect of not having to shell out $49 or $79 annually for a personal license? I have been using Parallels for years and spent the better part of $300-$400 in licenses. Can't wait to stop having to pay for this. Excited to test out VMWare.

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

the writer

81 months ago

My humble opinion is that Microsoft will spend some dollars and improve Windows on ARM to make it a viable option. Then there's no reason you won't be able to Boot Camp in to Windows on ARM or run a Windows VM. Yes, it won't be an X86 version of Windows, it will be the ARM version of Windows and all the reasons you Boot Camp or VM in to Windows will still apply for you or they won't. And of course it will require a different, ARM-based, version of Fusion. As a Senior Business Architect, I need a functioning Windows platform and it's nice to have one in a VM so I don't have to reboot.

The real question for me is if Microsoft will port its business applications like MS Project and MS Visio to run on the ARM version of Windows. Yes, there are MacOS alternatives, some much better than Microsoft's offerings, but that's not the point when working with large corporate clients.

I do see a problem for gamers. But Apple computers were never really gaming machines. As with all software, it's going to depend on whether or not the software creators of gaming or business apps create ARM ports of their products. For me that's a wait and see game.

Given that I intend to keep using my existing Intel-based mac for at least another year or two, and that I will upgrade to BigSur, I will upgrade to VM Ware Fusion Pro 12. For me it's a no-brainer. I need to keep things running smoothly.

I'm sure that for many others here there needs and wants are different from mine. I'm just sharing my thoughts and what it means for me. Just my $0.02.

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

chrfr

77 months ago

This is not accurate. You can emulate x86 (32bit) on ARM, in fact this is what Microsoft does for older software on Windows 10 on ARM. Here is the link to Microsoft explaining details and how it works.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/porting/apps-on-arm

They are also working on bringing 64bit Intel processor apps to ARM, but this could be a year so so way. There was a mention of Microsoft selling the ARM based version like they do the Intel version.

You’ve essentially repeated back what the poster said, but said it’s not accurate. It is exactly accurate to say that running x86 or x64 binaries on the Apple CPUs requires emulation, not virtualization.

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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VMware Fusion 12 Announced With Support for macOS Big Sur, eGPUs, and More

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