Apple may use iPhone Presto method to wirelessly update Macs before sale

It is a frustrating position to find yourself in – bringing home or taking delivery of a newly purchased computer only to find that you can’t use it before installing a massive update. This is something Apple is looking to alleviate with macOS Tahoe.

For a little while, Apple has used a wireless system called Presto which allows the company to update iPhones to the very latest version of iOS without the need to open the box. Now it seems that the same system could be used to ensure that newly purchased Macs have all of the latest updates installed from day one.

It is not long since Apple unveiled the first preview version of macOS Tahoe 26 – the last version of macOS to include support for a limited number of Intel-based Macs. With the release of beta 3 of the operating system this week, clues have been spotted about the wireless update method.

Anything that can be done to wipe out a potential source of frustration is to be welcomed, and this update system has proved incredibly successful for iPhones. While it is something that is invisible to and unnoticed by anyone buying a new iPhone, Apple has quietly improved the buying experience, the ownership experience, and the first impressions of its smartphones.

Using the same technique to avoid customer-driven day-one updating of Mac makes a lot of sense.

Update Macs without unboxing

9to5Mac reports that Apple is laying the groundwork for a Mac edition of the Presto updating system in macOS Tahoe 26 beta 3. The system is said to work in very much the same way as the tried-and-tested one for iPhone, but it could have a greater impact as there are more Mac models released each year than iPhones.

Once fully implemented, it will enable Apple to make a number of claims, including that it is able to ensure even a brand-new device has the very latest security update installed. It also helps to eliminate confusion.

The macOS development cycle can move very quickly, and without being updated, a Mac that has been sitting in a store for a little while could be missing not only security updates, but also new features.

It is not quite clear how Apple will be able to fully replicate the iPhone Presto update system for all Macs. In the case of iPhones – which obviously have built-in batteries – the system can power up the device wireless, issue update instructions, and power down again when the process is complete.

While something similar would undoubtedly be possible with MacBooks, a different approach would be needed for desktop Macs. It is possible that newer system could include wireless power mechanisms which would make it possible to turn on a boxed Mac without having to touch it.

We’re yet to see or hear anything that suggests Apple has produced or is working on such a method of powering Macs, so this remains speculatory for the time being.

But the prospect of buying a Mac knowing that there are no updates to install out of the box, is an enticing one. Could Microsoft do the same for Windows? This seems unlikely as there are so many manufacturers and distributors of Windows PCs, but it could happen with Microsoft’s own devices.

Is this something you would like to see implemented for Windows?