- Parallels Desktop 20.2 introduces x86 emulation to Apple Silicon
- This is still an early technological glimpse, but it could have huge consequences.
- Able to work with Linux and Windows 10, it could help Apple continue its push into enterprise markets.
In 2020, Apple moved from Intel to its ARM-based Silicon and since then, running x86-based software on its hardware has been a challenge.
To achieve this, Parallels, the virtual machine (VM) software for Mac users, has released its latest version, Parallels Desktop 20.2, in public preview, finally bringing x86 emulation to Apple Silicon.
This launch means developers can run, develop and test 32-bit Windows applications in a native environment; especially useful for those working with legacy software and who have not yet seen ports to ARM-based systems.
A game changer?
By the company’s own admission, however, the new version is very much a preview; Boot times for Windows virtual machines vary from two to seven minutes, depending on the hardware.
Even after booting, system responsiveness lags and creating a new virtual machine can take a considerable amount of time, up to 30 minutes for Windows and two hours for Linux.
Another major drawback is the lack of support for USB devices. This can pose a problem for users who rely on external devices in their workflows, such as printers or scanners.
All virtual machines must run via Apple’s hypervisor and Parallels’ hypervisor cannot be used, thus ruling out nested virtualization.
Additionally, there is currently no sound on Intel VMs and some Windows updates are not working properly. The emulator also only supports 64-bit virtual machines, although 32-bit applications remain compatible with them.
The current limitations make it clear that this feature is not yet ready for mainstream use, but the potential is there, and I encourage Parallels to resolve these issues so that it can once again become a powerful tool for users and enterprise developers. using Macs in the Apple Silicon era.
