Linux 6.2 officially supports Apple Silicon

Version 6.2 of the Linux kernel has been released. The biggest improvement is official support for Apple Silicon hardware.

Apple Silicon Support Officially Launches in Linux 6.2

Linus Torvalds was modest about the new kernel in announcing the new release on the Linux Kernel Mailing List.

Linux 6.2 officially supports Apple Silicon Picture 1 Linux 6.2 officially supports Apple Silicon Picture 1

Torvalds said: 'Nothing unexpected happened last week, just some minor fixes in a few places, nothing really outstanding.

However, there is a big change in the kernel. This is the first kernel to officially support Apple Silicon chips, according to OMG! Ubuntu! The release builds on the work of Asahi Linux developers porting Linux to the new Apple chips.

Many Windows, Gaming, and AI Improvements in Linux 6.2

Other improvements include the ability to hide files when accessing Windows' NTFS partitions, as well as case-insensitive access to files. This will make it easier to work with Windows files and folders from Linux.

There's a bunch of common hardware support improvements. The Sony DualShock gamepad, as well as the AI Gaudi2 accelerator from Habana Labs and the ASUS motherboard sensor are all supported. All of these enhancements are intended to support two growing markets for Linux: AI and gaming.

Linux 6.2 release demonstrates Linux's open source productivity

Version 6.2 of Linux showcases Linux's open source development model that allows kernel developers to deploy new features quickly.

Although originally incubated on x86 hardware and specifically the 386 chip, Linux has since expanded to nearly every existing architecture. This is because developers can access and change the kernel's source code.

As new hardware hits the market, developers scramble to port software to it. This makes Linux a platform of choice for mobile and embedded development.

Users can try Linux 6.2 right now

While most users will probably be content to wait for their distro to include Linux 6.2 in the system, those brave enough to test the new kernel can try it out right away. You can download and compile the kernel and try out new enhancements now.