The upcoming OpenBSD 7.9 release in the spring will be based on the OpenBSD-current codebase. In preparation for this release, changes have been implemented to allow OpenBSD to run as a guest in Apple Hypervisor-based virtualization systems. Specifically, these changes enable OpenBSD builds for the arm64 architecture to function within virtual machines on macOS devices equipped with ARM Apple Silicon chips.
The modifications made to the codebase focus on enhancing the viogpu virtio driver’s ability to synchronize the transfer of framebuffer contents to the host system. Additionally, enhancements have been applied to the if_vio virtual network interface, allowing it to receive information about the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) from the hypervisor.
These updates signify OpenBSD’s commitment to expanding compatibility with modern hardware and virtualization technologies, catering to users utilizing Apple Hypervisor-based systems. By integrating support for Apple Hypervisor, OpenBSD is poised to provide a seamless and efficient operating system experience for users leveraging virtualization on macOS devices with ARM Apple Silicon chips.