If you’re using Zoom on your M1 Mac for virtual holiday get-togethers, you’ll be happy to hear that an upgrade is arriving in a timely fashion. 9to5Mac has learned that Zoom is rolling out a December 21st update that lets the video calling app natively support Apple Silicon Macs. You may need to grab a separate installer, but you’ll likely want to leap on this if you’d rather not run Zoom using code translation.
The non-native app wasn’t a huge drain on M1 Macs. One MacRumors forum member found that battery life dipped by just 17 percent during a 2.5-hour video call. The native code could improve the longevity further, though, and might boost overall performance if you’re running Zoom alongside other apps.
The update will also improve nonverbal feedback, allow you to send text messages on mobile (with a Zoom Phone Pro license) and help you add cloud contacts. It’s safe to say M1 support will be the most noticeable upgrade if you’ve been using one of Apple’s newest computers to stay in touch during the pandemic.
