With ‘Presto,’ Apple devised a way to wirelessly update iPhones without right through their retail packaging. With macOS Tahoe, the company could bring the same technology to Macs.
This change will ensure your new Mac runs the latest available macOS version, no matter how long it’s been sitting in inventory.
Apple may update Macs still in retail packaging wirelessly
Apple began testing the Presto iOS update system in late 2023. It eventually rolled out the feature to its US retail stores a few months into 2024. With this, the company solved the problem of shipping iPhones with an outdated iOS version, posing security issues or other problems. This was often an issue when newly shipped iPhones ran outdated software and required a day-one update to function optimally.
9to5Mac reports Apple will expand the Presto update system to Macs with macOS 26 Tahoe. It found evidence of the company laying the groundwork for this in the latest beta of the OS.
Once rolled out, Apple stores would be able to wirelessly update old Macs in their inventory before selling them. Apart from getting a Mac running the latest macOS release with all bug fixes and security patches installed, this move should also benefit users in regions with slow or limited broadband access.
But how will Presto work without NFC?
The Presto machine looks like a metallic shoe box, which can hold up to six iPhone boxes at once. The device updates iPhones inside their retail packaging using MagSafe and other technologies to power them on and install the latest software. For Macs, Apple may come up with a more portable solution.
Macs also lack NFC and MagSafe support. So, it would be interesting to see how Apple modifies the Presto system to work with its computers. If the company goes ahead with a Presto-like update system for Macs, we should hear more about it in the coming months.
