Craig Federighi: Native Windows on M1 Macs is 'Really up to Microsoft'

Following the release of the M1 Macs Apple executives have been doing interviews with a range of publications, and today, Ars Technica published another interview with software engineering chief Craig Federighi, hardware technologies lead Johny Srouji, and marketing VP Greg Joswiak.

new m1 chip
Much of the interview focuses on topics that the three have already covered in prior discussions, but there is an interesting tidbit from Federighi on Microsoft and Windows on the ‌M1‌ Macs. Right now, the ‌M1‌ Macs do not support Windows and there is no Boot Camp feature as there is on Intel Macs, but Windows support is a feature that many would like to see.

Federighi says Windows on ‌M1‌ Macs is "up to Microsoft." The core technologies exist and the Macs are capable of it, but Microsoft has to decide whether to license its Arm-based version of Windows to Mac users.

As for Windows running natively on the machine, "that's really up to Microsoft," he said. "We have the core technologies for them to do that, to run their ARM version of Windows, which in turn of course supports x86 user mode applications. But that's a decision Microsoft has to make, to bring to license that technology for users to run on these Macs. But the Macs are certainly very capable of it."

Federighi also suggested that Windows in the cloud could be a possible solution in the future, and he highlighted CrossOver, which is able to run x86 Windows apps on ‌M1‌ Macs using Rosetta 2.

Federighi, Joswiak, and Srouji also discussed developing the Apple Silicon chips, designing the ‌M1‌, the ‌M1‌'s performance, unified memory architecture, running iOS apps, and more. The full interview can be read over at Ars Technica.

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Top Rated Comments

Serban55 Avatar
64 months ago
Apple, please, never fire or let go Johny Srouji ! He is a masterpiece when he was at Intel, and now he is a masterpiece at Apple for so many years
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
haunebu Avatar
64 months ago
That would instantly make the MacBook one of the most popular Windows machines. It would decimate the Surface line of Microsoft products, especially the Surface Pro X.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Serban55 Avatar
64 months ago
And since Microsoft under the new CEO is all about the services and cloud....Microsoft will be happy to sell to you thei Windows licence
So expect 2021 to run Windows
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DJC631 Avatar
64 months ago
I have Windows on every Mac I use regularly. I would absolutely buy and install Windows on a new Mac if they made it possible.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
locrumo Avatar
64 months ago
I want run XP on M1 Mac.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CJ Dorschel Avatar
64 months ago
This is a big deal especially for businesses that invested heavily in Intel Mac’s over the years that need windows to operate alongside macOS. I think people are dismissing how many still depend on windows. Intel offered the best of both worlds - A 2-in-1 machine - Windows for work and macOS for personal use. I know a lot of people who use MacBook pros for both personal and work use.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)