An Apple website has been changed to say M1 Macs don't support Apple Intelligence, in what is almost certainly a mistake and not a sudden change in device support policy.
Apple Intelligence is a software feature that works on all Apple Silicon chips, including all M-series variants that have been released so far. However, while Apple will eventually drop support for earlier chips, it appears on one Apple webpage to have happened far earlier than expected.
Apple's website page promoting Apple Intelligence has a section that details all models of iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro that support it. The panel lists models by chip type, indicating the earliest release for each that has Apple Intelligence compatibility.
However, MacRumors spotted that the page has been updated so that no M1 models are listed at all in the United States. The MacBook Air MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini have been changed to say Apple Intelligence works on "M2 and later" devices, with the Mac Studio also saying it is supported on "M2 Max and later."
AppleInsider has contacted Apple for clarification about the change.
An editing snafu
While this does look like Apple is suddenly dropping support for Apple Intelligence for its earlier models, there are indications that this could simply be human error.
International versions of the site in the UK, Canada, and France all have the same panel. However, they all still display "M1 and later" or their regional equivalents.
The Mac support list on the Apple Intelligence site in the U.S.
Apple doesn't tend to withdraw hardware support in just one country for an internationally released product. This makes the change applying to the United States site quite unusual.
The most probable cause for the change is that it's an editing mistake.
The U.S. version of the panel also updates the Apple Vision Pro support for Apple Intelligence from "M2" to "M2 and later." Based on this, it could be that someone updated the panel specifically to account for the new M5 Apple Vision Pro, and mistakenly revised all of the Mac and MacBook listings at the same time.
Specifications relating to iPhone and iPad support are unchanged. This includes the iPad Pro and iPad Air, which are still listed as supporting M1 chips.
And, obviously, the features still work on M1 Macs and iPads.
Not yet vintage
The site change is also not one that is impacted by Apple's policies regarding vintage and obsolete devices. Apple's policy refers to the warranty status for devices it deems to be outside an expired warranty period.
Under this, products are considered vintage when Apple stopped distributing them for sale more than five years and fewer than seven years ago, Apple's support page explains. Obsolete products are classed as hardware that Apple stopped distributing for sale more than seven years ago.
While vintage products can still be serviced, Apple does stop hardware service for obsolete products.
Initial M1 products like the Mac mini have not quite reached vintage status, unlike Intel-based Macs. It means Apple will still continue to support it in hardware releases for a while longer.
The affair does at least bring attention to the fifth anniversary of Apple Silicon shipping, and that the initial releases are starting to get a bit long in the tooth. A drop in software support for features like Apple Intelligence is inevitable, but Apple's not quite there yet.
