UPDATE – This obsolete iMac now runs macOS 15 Sequoia
From the About this Mac window on my 2013 iMac, you can see it is running macOS 15 Sequoia. This is great for compatibility with apps like Microsoft Office, Chrome, Firefox, etc. But will it be worth the effort as basic functions of the macOS become dependent on Apple Silicon, which my old iMac does not possess?
Because this iMac has the right kind of graphics card, the Photos app works, but it won’t work on many older Macs. New stuff like iPhone Mirroring doesn’t work at all. I shall experiment, as I have installed macOS 15 on a separate drive for the purpose. If you want to try it you can buy an install disk here.
You might think it’s time to recycle my old iMac. Apple introduced this model in 2013 and discontinued selling it in 2015. Apple says it is now an ‘Obsolete’ iMac in 2024. But is my iMac obsolete?
No, thanks to OpenCore, it is still a completely Viable computer. It runs the latest Apple system. It can download the most recent apps from the App Store. I am not boasting. None of this is my work; I am completely indebted to OpenCore who made this possible. It’s possible for me, and you, if you own an old Mac!
Unlock your old Mac’s potential…
So, let’s look at what OpenCore can achieve. The pictures below come from Mactracker.
Oh dear, my iMac is Obsolete. The most recent system my iMac is supposed to run came and went in 2019.
This was OS X 10.15.7 Catalina – the very last OS X (macOS 10) – before Apple moved to macOS 11… We are now at macOS 14 (as I type in 2024), with macOS 15 coming in the Autumn!
But what’s this? With some tweaking (not a technical term) this old Mac can run the current macOS Sonoma 14… [Update, see above re macOS 15].
This is the About this Mac window on my iMac. You can get to this menu on your Mac by going to the Apple icon at the top left of your screen, tap and select the first item on the drop-down menu; About this Mac. Yours might look different depending on what system your Mac is running.
My About this Mac should look different too; it should be stuck on OS X 10.15 Catalina. I would be missing out on compatibility with the latest apps; Microsoft Office, Firefox, Chrome, etc. And all the great features added to successive versions of macOS that Apple loves to hype! Why? Because they want you to buy a new Mac.
Don’t. Please resist the temptation to spend over £1K on a new Mac when your old Mac can still do the job if you can be bothered to try. If you need my help… see below!
My name is John Walker and I am a Mac specialist. If any part of this post interests you, get in touch. Please call me (07525368812) or use the contact form for support.
For more information about how to get your old Mac to run a newer system than Apple allows, see my post New Life for Old Macs.