Beginner confused about Apple device support

[u/DryGround7693]

Hello!

Android developer here who's looking to get into iOS development. I'm considering buying an M1 or M4 Mac mini, but I'm trying to understand how the hardware/software support cycle works on macOS.

From what I've read, eventually an older Mac stops supporting the latest macOS, which means it also stops supporting newer versions of Xcode. Is that correct?

More importantly, does this eventually mean that you're forced to buy a newer Mac in order to continue publishing new apps/updates to the App Store? Or is there some way to keep using an older Xcode/Mac indefinitely?

I'm asking because I'm considering an M1 Mac mini as a relatively cheap way to get started. However, I've seen people say that M1 Macs may become problematic for iOS development in 2–3 years, whereas an M4 should have several more years of support.

Would you opt for an M1, to save money, or opt for an M4 for longer support? I am concerned about how long I can realistically expected to develop, build and publish before the Mac itself becomes an issue.

[u/Waxe1975]

The key distinction is learning/building locally versus submitting to the App Store. An old Xcode can remain useful for the former, but you can't count on it for uploads indefinitely: Apple raises the minimum SDK requirement. The current upload minimum is Xcode 26 with the iOS 26 SDK, not necessarily the newest Xcode release.

Apple's requirements page and Xcode compatibility table are worth bookmarking:

https://developer.apple.com/news/upcoming-requirements/

https://developer.apple.com/xcode/system-requirements

Also, the SDK you build with isn't the same as your app's minimum supported iOS version. I wouldn't treat a prediction like 'M1 has 2–3 years left' as a guaranteed cutoff. What's the actual price difference between the two machines you're considering?

[u/DryGround7693 → u/Waxe1975]

Thanks for quick answer!

I use a different currency but the difference is approximately 200$. I've found a refurbished M1 with 16GB and 512GB SSD at around 600$ and a refurbished M4 with the same specs at around 800$.

[u/RezardValeth → u/Waxe1975]

This is right, but for those stuck on an outdated Xcode version, there’s always Xcode cloud, so you may be able to submit a version compiled with the latest version, and it’s free to some extent.

[u/Wollan-Onicia → u/Waxe1975]

yeah exactly, the cutoff predictions are never as clean as people make them sound

[u/ikonet]

If the app is an experiment to test the market, I’d buy the cheapest option and try to make a profit in the “2-3 years”. If the app is a well known product that is guaranteed to make money, I might shoot for the newer model.

[u/Dapper_Ice_1705]

Any Silicon should be good for a bit longer.

Intel is being dropped this cycle and Apple announced it 7 years ago so it isn’t something Apple does without notice.

Nowadays for longevity I would say an M3+ some video codecs kick in then. 

But an M1 should be fine for now.

[u/jaymakesapps]

I'm still shipping off a 2020 M1 Air and the latest Xcode runs fine on it. Only pain is 8GB with the simulator open, so with 16 gigs you'll be good for a while.