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Groups > comp.sys.mac.system > #146283

Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is

Newsgroups comp.sys.mac.advocacy, misc.phone.mobile.iphone, comp.sys.mac.system
Message-ID <69ceb112$0$23$882e4bbb@reader.netnews.com> (permalink)
Subject Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is
From Brock McNuggets <Brock.McNuggets@gmail.com>
References (5 earlier) <10qehd4$eqg$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com> <n30i1hF7tpuU1@mid.individual.net> <10qfje4$71k$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com> <n37i5rFat9aU1@mid.individual.net> <10qmb3i$1g96$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com>
Date 2026-04-02 18:10 +0000

Cross-posted to 3 groups.

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Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> wrote:
> Jolly Roger wrote:
>> Nobody said that.
> 
> Hi Jolly Roger, 
> 
> Almost nobody on this newsgroup knows what I know about Apple OS support.
> 
> Indeed, the only people on this newsgroup who have ever shown any
> indication of how Apple fully supports releases is me (years ago), 
> and only recently (last week), -hh showed he understood it also.
> 
> After years of trying, to get even one person on this newsgroup to
> understand a single thing about how Apple works, is an accomplishment!
> 
> Nobody else on this newsgroup has ever shown any indication they understand
> Apple's own documented process of full support, much to my chagrin.
> 
> Literally for years I've tried to educate the people on this newsgroup.
> To no avail.
> 
> Apple's full support policy is clear:
>  a. Then instant the next major release ships
>  b. Apple completely drops full support from the prior release
> Such that:
>  c. Unlike every other OS vendor, Apple fully supports only 1 major release
> 
> What most of you confuse for full support, is "support", which is
> completely different in that even Microsoft supported an OS for 18 years
> under the definition that the people on this newsgroup call full support.
> 

Apple vs Microsoft vs Android — “full support” vs reality

The claim that Apple only supports one OS version is misleading. All three
ecosystems split support into tiers (feature updates vs security updates),
they just communicate it differently.

APPLE (iOS/macOS)
	•	Latest version: full support (features + frequent fixes)
	•	Older versions: still get security updates, sometimes for years
	•	Typically 2–4 major versions receive patches at the same time
	•	Devices: ~5–7 years of major OS updates, longer for security fixes

MICROSOFT (Windows)
	•	Clear lifecycle labels:
	•	Mainstream support (features + fixes)
	•	Extended support (security only)
	•	Each Windows version is supported ~10 years total
	•	Windows 10/11 also use rolling feature updates with defined end dates

ANDROID (varies by vendor)
	•	Google Pixels:
	•	~7 years OS + security (now industry-leading)
	•	Samsung:
	•	~4 OS updates, ~5 years security
	•	Many others:
	•	Often shorter and inconsistent
	•	Updates depend on manufacturer + carrier

BOTTOM LINE
	•	Apple does NOT drop support when a new version ships.
	•	Apple supports multiple OS versions at once (security-wise).
	•	Microsoft is the most explicit about support phases.
	•	Android varies widely by device maker.
	•	The real difference is labeling, not the existence of multi-version
support.

TL;DR: Everyone supports old versions. “Full support” = latest version
everywhere. Security support continues beyond that on all major platforms.

-- 
Personal attacks from those who troll show their own insecurity. They
cannot use reason to show the message to be wrong so they try to feel
somehow superior by attacking the messenger.

They cling to their attacks and ignore the message time and time again.

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Thread

Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-03-27 16:27 -0400
  Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Tom Elam <thomas.e.elam@gmail.com> - 2026-03-27 17:57 -0400
    Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2026-03-28 13:13 +1300
      Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-03-27 22:04 -0400
        Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Tom Elam <thomas.e.elam@gmail.com> - 2026-03-27 22:38 -0400
          Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-03-28 01:44 -0400
          Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2026-03-28 20:01 +1300
        Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Tom Elam <thomas.e.elam@gmail.com> - 2026-03-28 09:43 -0400
          Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-03-28 12:37 -0400
            Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Tom Elam <thomas.e.elam@gmail.com> - 2026-03-29 14:27 -0400
              Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2026-03-30 10:54 +1300
                Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-03-30 00:01 -0400
                Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Tom Elam <thomas.e.elam@gmail.com> - 2026-03-30 10:24 -0400
                Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-03-30 15:03 -0400
                Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2026-03-31 00:15 +0000
                Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-03-31 00:43 -0400
                Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-03-31 13:53 -0400
                Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2026-04-02 16:00 +0000
                Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-04-02 14:04 -0400
                Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Brock McNuggets <Brock.McNuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-04-02 18:10 +0000
                He sounds like Trump! (was Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-04-02 11:13 -0700
                Re: He sounds like Trump! (was Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2026-04-02 20:04 +0000
                Re: He sounds like Trump! (was Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-04-02 19:27 -0400
                Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2026-04-02 20:02 +0000
                Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-04-02 13:08 -0700
                Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-04-02 19:20 -0400
                Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2026-04-03 18:51 +0000
                Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-04-03 18:27 -0400
                Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2026-04-04 00:55 +0000
                Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Tom Elam <thomas.e.elam@gmail.com> - 2026-03-30 10:27 -0400
                Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-03-30 15:03 -0400
      Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Bob Campbell <nunya@none.none> - 2026-03-28 02:50 +0000
        Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-03-28 01:44 -0400
        Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Norman Dibber <ndibber@yahoo.com.invalid> - 2026-03-28 08:37 +0000
  Re: Apple's macOS full support is a *lot* shorter than most people "think" it is Martin Τrautmann <t-usenet@gmx.net> - 2026-03-28 08:13 +0100

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