When Apple switched its Macs to Intel chips in 2005, it took months, if not years, for software makers to adapt to the change. This time, with the switch to Apple Silicon, it’s taking days and weeks.

Adobe recently released beta versions of Premier, Rush, and Audition. A compatible PhotoShop beta was ready as soon as the new M1 Macs were available, and Lightroom followed a few weeks later. Even Microsoft’s Office suite is ready to roll. So what’s different this time around?

“Microsoft says users should notice big performance improvements when using the Office apps on M1 Macs,” writes Chance Miller of 9to5 Mac. “The Office apps are universal, meaning they will continue to run on Intel Macs with the latest updates and features.”

There were two things that hampered Apple’s transition from PowerPC to Intel 15 years ago. First, Apple simply wasn’t that important. Creative industries may have still favored the Mac, but all the important software was on the PC. These days, when Apple makes a change, even the biggest developers are quick to follow suit. Back then, it was uncertain whether Adobe or Microsoft would ever make the change.