Enabling File Sync with Apple M1
By: Jeff Lin
Tags: Apple, Mac, Tech, Cloud Storage, Google Drive

Enabling File Sync with Apple M1

Apple has just released three new Mac models with the M1 chip, ushering in a new chapter in high performance, efficient computing for the company. The M1 chips are supposedly so impressive that they’ve surprised even Apple themselves. They’re also selling like hotcakes, especially the MacBook Air version… it’s hard to find them in stock.

Apple MacBook Air with M1 Chip. Image Source: Apple Newsroom https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2020/11/introducing-the-next-generation-of-mac/

Future vs. Present

This is not Apple’s first rodeo, having changed architectures for Mac long ago from Motorola 68000 series architecture to PowerPC in 1994. Some may remember the switch from PowerPC to an Intel-based x86_64 instruction set which occurred in 2006. Each change was an expensive, monumental decision which pitted future vision and progress against the cost of upheaval for paying customers on the existing architecture.

These changes are fundamental in nature… similar to a car company moving from gasoline engines to electric; under the hood things are quite different. Because of that, assuming that existing software running against a new internal architecture will just continue to work may not be automatic.

The Rosetta Stone

Lost in Translation

Getting app support right — or at least mostly right — is required to pull off a revolution of this magnitude in today’s climate of high expectations. Normally, switching out the architecture requires applications to be fixed and recompiled to work against the new processor. Apple has invested heavily into making sure applications can transition onto the new architecture as painlessly as possible by creating Rosetta 2, a translation mechanism for apps that works during install time (and runtime if necessary).

The historic problem with translation facilities is that while most simple or general apps will work, sometimes complex apps that are deeply burrowed into the operating system may not. For example, early reports indicate that Google File Stream is not fully working yet due to their use of kernel extensions, which cannot be translated with Rosetta 2. Stay tuned until April for when Google will try to release a fix. Box Drive is also suffering from similar issues. Apple has also mentioned they will deprecate kernel extensions anyway, since their use doesn’t meet best practices for security and stability.

odrive Sync Works on M1

The odrive sync client, on the other hand, works with Rosetta 2 since odrive eschews the use of kernel extensions. So odrive is able to deliver the same end effect in a simpler way. You still have sync with placeholders, allowing you to see everything available in the cloud without taking up local disk space yet until you try to access the file. File content is only downloaded on demand. So you’re still able to save disk space and network bandwidth.

Now, an example of another technology decision is odrive’s use of Finder extensions. We use Finder extensions to present right-click context menu options and file badges to provide sync feedback. But Finder extensions are much more mainstream in their usage by apps to provide richer experiences within Finder itself. They don’t come with the same security and stability tradeoffs that kernel extensions have.

odrive uses Finder extensions for right-click menus and file badges to provide a rich, native desktop experience

In any case, surviving the revolution is sometimes a matter of luck for application developers. We’re largely at the mercy of Apple’s ability to make the transition smooth for us. But it is also good to know that careful decisions made in engineering and design to reduce technology risk while maximizing end-user value can pay off, too.

The Most Efficient Sync App on Your Mac for Any Cloud Storage

So, in conclusion, let’s take a minute to spell things out: if you bought a new Mac with M1 chip and are looking for something to sync your Box or Google Drive files with while they work towards a solution, consider odrive.

And if you’re interested in trying out the most efficient sync engine for your storage, give odrive a shot. You can use it with any storage, too. Why install multiple sync apps when you can have just one? Besides providing unified access and sync for your storage, you can also take advantage of other universal storage capabilities that odrive enables, including sharing, backup, zero-knowledge encryption, and more.

Thanks for tuning in!