What you need to know
- VMWare has announced a new version of its Fusion software.
- Fusion 12 is ready for macOS 11 Big Sur.
- There's no actual release date for it, though.
VMWare today announced Fusion 12, the next version of its popular virtualization software that allows people to run virtual machines on their computers. The new update has a raft of improvements to offer, but the addition of full support for macOS 11 Big Sur is one of the most notable.
The new update removes the need for any kerne; extensions, a move that Apple has been pushing for. It also makes full use of Apple's latest APIs to enable VMWare Fusion 12 to run as a first-class citizen on macOS.
In preparation for the next major version of macOS 11.0 Big Sur, VMware has made full use of Apple's hypervisor and other APIs, removing the need for kernel extensions and supporting macOS 11 as both host and guest.
Additional changes in this latest version include support for Dark Mode, eGPUs, and more.
- DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.1 –Running games and apps support with Direct3D version 11 or OpenGL 4.1
- Windows 10 Hyper-V Mode – VMware Workstation products support running VMs, containers and Kubernetes clusters on PCs with Windows 10 version 2004 that have Hyper-V mode enabled.
- Dark Mode – For Workstation Pro and Player UIs, a new Dark Mode feature will seamlessly align with the latest versions of Windows 10, including the recently released 2004 build.
- eGPU Compatibility – Fusion Player and Pro will support eGPU devices, helping offload the resource-taxing graphics rendering process from the internal integrated or discrete GPU, to a much more powerful external one.
- Improved Accessibility – Accessibility controls in compliance with VPAT Section 508, helping users get the full benefits of virtual machines.
Users who already bought Fusion 11.5 or Fusion 11.5 Pro after June 15 will get a free update to Fusion 12 Player or Fision 12 Pro, while everyone else will have to cough up. New licenses will cost $199 while an upgrade will cost $99.
