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Apple unveils list of supported devices for Metal 3 APIs
Apple released iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS 13 Ventura systems at WWDC22, and has released the first developer preview Beta. According to the latest report, new Metal 3 APIs coming later this year will allow Macs to upgrade more efficiently, draw frames intelligently for smoother gameplay, and access game data faster.
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As part of the new macOS Ventura, Apple senior director of GPU software Jeremy Sandmel discussed the new Metal at the company’s WWDC22 event. The new version of Metal introduces the MetalFX framework. MetalFX manages upscaling for better resolution and draws extra frames to increase frame rates in games. The Mac version of the game No Man’s Sky will utilize MetalFX technology to improve its performance.
Metal 3 will also feature a “Fast Asset Loading API,” which speeds up the pipeline from silicon to RAM and storage, enabling devices to find and draw textures faster. This will allow games that use the API to experience fewer load times.
A new API specific to the iPad in the new Metal is the Background Download API, which optimizes performance in the foreground while the device suffers from concurrent software downloads. Apple has announced a list of supported devices for Metal 3. iPhone and iPad require A13 or higher devices, and 2017 or newer Mac devices are required.
Moreover, Metal 3 will be released this fall with macOS Ventura and iPadOS 16. Metal was first introduced in 2014 as an optimization layer for the Apple A7 processor in the iPhone 5s. With the release of more powerful Apple Silicon chips, the technology has expanded to more devices.