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FireWire is officially dead: End of 25 years of existence on macOS

You may not have used FireWire in years, but the connection standard is still quietly supported in macOS. Once expected to replace USB before being surpassed by USB itself, FireWire has officially been "killed" forever starting with macOS 26 Tahoe.
Accordingly, the macOS 26 Tahoe developer beta has removed all support for FireWire (technical name IEEE 1394). Reports confirm that FireWire devices have completely disappeared from the System Information, Disk Utility, and Finder applications. Even when connected via a Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter - the ultimate solution for old hardware - macOS 26 still "ignores" the device. And the inevitable consequence: "Legendary" devices like the first-generation iPod that only supported FireWire will be "useless" on the new macOS.

 

 

FireWire is officially dead: End of 25 years of existence on macOS Picture 1

25-year journey: From "USB-Killer" to technological legacy

Introduced in 1999 on the PowerMac G3, FireWire (IEEE 1394) revolutionized the way first-generation USB was a snail's pace. With a bandwidth of 400 Mbps (30 times faster than contemporary USB), it quickly became the standard interface for:

  1. Digital video editing
  2. High speed external hard drive
  3. Professional audio equipment

 

Although it lost out to USB later, FireWire was still a practical solution to the real speed needs of users at that time - a testament to Apple's technological pioneering.

In fact, FireWire has been discontinued on Macs since the iMac in mid-2011. macOS 26 Tahoe also marked the final milestone in Apple's "boycott of old technology" policy:

  1. The last version of macOS to support Macs with Intel chips
  2. The AFP (Apple Filing Protocol) file sharing standard is also about to die.
  3. Entire ecosystem to move to Apple Silicon by 2025

For most users, the demise of this outdated technology will hardly cause any disruption. However, professionals using FireWire audio equipment (studios) or old data storage devices that are forced to maintain Macs running macOS Sequoia or earlier will be more or less affected. It is worth noting that many users do not even know that FireWire still exists today.

Apple's decision reflects an inevitable trend: focusing resources on modern technology (Thunderbolt 4/USB4). FireWire is now just an old chapter in the history of technology textbooks - a disappearance that was predicted, but perhaps still makes some people feel regretful.

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