The Parallels Desktop 20.2 update has been released, the new version offering 64-bit x86 emulation for Apple Silicon and more enhancements to make Apple Intelligence Writing Tools work with Windows apps.
The update adds several key changes to the virtualization tool, chief among them being an early technology preview of x86 emulation for Apple Silicon Macs. Using a proprietary emulation engine, it allows Apple Silicon Macs to run x86_64 virtual machines, for Windows 10, Windows 11, and Linux. While support for Apple Silicon has been around since Parallels Desktop 16.5, it has been limited in not having x86 emulation support until this update. The new emulation technique also offers the ability to test 32-bit Windows apps in a native environment.
The new version also offers Linux users an alternative to running Linux virtual machines through Apple’s Rosetta technology. The tech preview does include some limitations, such as initial slow performance depending on the hardware, and a current lack of support for 64-bit operations, even though 32-bit apps can still be run. The current build lacks USB device support within these virtual machines, and Parallels Hypervisor can’t be used, with the VMs needing to be booted via Apple’s version.
For IT departments, Parallels Desktop 20.2 offers Single Sign-On support, which allows admission to set up SSO or license key activation methods. They can also push configurations to managed Macs using the Parallels Management Portal. License management is also streamlined thanks to the use of corporate identity providers, including Microsoft Entra ID and Okta. End users can activate using Single Sign-On to log into a corporate email account. Finally, Parallels Desktop 20.2 offers improved Apple Intelligence and Writing Tools support in Windows, and users can now select Writing Tools (Mac) under a context menu in Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft PowerPoint, simplifying access.
Parallels Desktop 20.2’s retail price starts at either $8.33/month for a standard subscription or $129.99 for a one-time purchase and is available as a free trial.
If you’ve tried the new version and have any feedback to offer, please let us know about your experience in the comments.
Via AppleInsider and Parallels