Microsoft has introduced some Apple Silicon support in a new beta release of Excel for Mac. The new support comes in a beta build of Office for Mac.
While Apple Silicon-powered Macs have yet to hit store shelves, Apple is expected to debut new Macs with A-series processors at its November 10 “One more thing” online event.
Microsoft appears to be readying for the debut of the Apple Silicon-powered Macs by introducing some Apple Silicon-compatible features via its Office Insider beta testing program. The new build, released on November 2, includes support for Apple-designed processors for SQL Server connectivity settings.
SQL ODBC support for Apple ARM
The built-in SQL Server ODBC data connection provider will now support the new Apple Silicon devices as well as the TLS v1.2 communication protocol. This feature provides support for SQL Server ODBC data connections to work properly on new devices that have Apple Silicon processors, as well as support for SQL Servers that require secure connections via the TLS v1.2 protocol.
The feature allows Excel users to access data from SQL Server databases using the app’s built-in ODBC drivers. The feature is currently in beta testing, so it could be a while before it is made available to the general public.
Apple’s first Apple Silicon-powered Macs are rumored to be a 16-inch MacBook Pro, a 13-inch MacBook Pro, and a 13-inch MacBook Air.
(Via AppleInsider)