We have important news to share with our Microsoft Teams users. After extensive conversations with Microsoft and careful analysis of their deprecation timeline, we want to give you a clear picture of what's happening and how we're responding.

The Background: How We Got Here

In early 2024, Microsoft introduced a new local API in the "new" Teams client to support third-party hardware integrations. The API was publicly documented and was used to power Microsoft's official Teams integration for the Stream Deck, which quickly became one of the most popular apps in the Stream Deck store.

Around the same time, Microsoft removed the accessibility methods that many third-party products, including MuteMe, had relied on for Teams integration. This effectively forced developers to migrate to the new API if they wanted to continue providing Teams controls to their customers. From our perspective, Microsoft's actions clearly signaled that the API was the intended path forward for hardware integrations.

We raised concerns with Microsoft about the accessibility changes, and many of our customers also contacted Microsoft to explain how important accessibility support was for their workflows.

The API itself was discoverable, stable, and intentionally designed for third-party integrations. It behaved like a supported platform interface and was actively being used by a wide range of projects and hardware vendors to integrate with Teams.

— Our team, on the discovery of the Teams API

For over five years, Apple has been quietly laying the groundwork for the biggest architectural shift in Mac computing since the transition from PowerPC to Intel in 2006. That shift took about three years. This one is different.

Five Years. Five Generations. One Clear Direction.

When Apple announced the transition to Apple Silicon in June 2020, many wondered if it was too soon, too ambitious, or both. Five years later, the answer is clear: it was the right move at the right time.

We've now seen five generations of Apple Silicon, starting with M1 in late 2020 and continuing through the M4 chips powering today's Macs. Each generation delivered meaningful improvements in performance, power efficiency, and capabilities. The trajectory has been remarkable.

What makes this transition particularly impressive is not just the hardware. It is how Apple has supported the old while building the new. Rosetta 2, the translation layer that lets Intel apps run on Apple Silicon, has worked remarkably well. But all things come to an end.

Apple's Track Record: Better Support Than Anyone

One thing Apple does better than almost anyone in the industry is long-term support. When they transitioned from PowerPC to Intel in 2006, they kept those machines supported for years. When they moved to Apple Silicon, they did not abandon Intel users overnight.

Apple's approach has been to give developers and users ample time to adapt. That is the kind of support that turns a risky transition into a smooth evolution. But the writing is on the wall: the future is Apple Silicon, and it is arriving faster than many expected.

The Apple Silicon Leap: What Was Possible

Apple Silicon was not just about efficiency. It was about fundamentally rethinking what a personal computer chip could do. The integration of CPU, GPU, Neural Engine, and memory into a single package enabled capabilities that were previously impossible on consumer hardware.

• Unprecedented performance per watt: All-day battery life with desktop-class performance became reality
• Unified memory architecture: Memory shared between CPU and GPU eliminated traditional bottlenecks
• Dedicated ML acceleration: The Neural Engine enabled on-device machine learning at scales previously impossible
• Pro-level video editing: 8K editing and multi-stream 4K playback became native, without specialized hardware

These were not incremental improvements. They were generational leaps that redefined what users could expect from their computers.

The Timeline: What Happens When

Here is the reality of how software support will likely unfold for Intel Macs:

What This Means for MuteMe Users

At MuteMe, we have been ahead of this curve. We already offer a native Apple Silicon version of our software, and we have been shipping it for some time now.

We understand that many (nearly 4000 of you) are on Intel Macs, particularly the 2019 to 2020 MacBook Pro models and the many iMac users that remain popular in home office environments. We see you, and we are not abandoning you.

Our Commitment to Intel Mac Users

Here is our roadmap for Intel Mac support:

We believe in supporting our users through transitions. That means giving you advance notice, clear information, and plenty of time to make decisions about your hardware.

The Bigger Picture

This transition reflects something Apple does well: making bold architectural moves while carefully managing the user experience during the shift. Whether you are on an Intel Mac today or an Apple Silicon machine, you have not been left behind. You have been given time to plan.

The performance gains of Apple Silicon are real and significant. If you have been thinking about upgrading, the math increasingly favors making the jump. But if you are not ready, we will meet you where you are, for now and for the next few years.

Questions about which version is right for you? Contact our support team.