The recent unveiling of Parallels Desktop 20 marks a significant evolution in the virtualization landscape, showcasing advanced AI capabilities that promise to enhance user experience across multiple operating systems. This latest iteration is designed to work seamlessly with macOS Sequoia and Windows 11 24H2, providing users with improved performance while navigating macOS, Windows, and Linux environments. Notably, Parallels Desktop 20 holds the distinction of being the only virtualization software officially authorized by Microsoft to operate Windows on Apple silicon, offering developers a versatile platform for their projects.
AI-Powered Virtual Machines for Offline Use
Among the standout features of Parallels Desktop 20 is the introduction of an AI Package, which includes a virtual machine pre-loaded with 14 essential AI development toolsets. This package is designed to simplify the process of AI application development, allowing users to download a pre-configured virtual machine with just a single click. The setup includes support for running small language models within the VM, and users can further tailor their environments by customizing resources and disabling network access for added security.
Compatibility with macOS Sequoia allows users to leverage the latest AI-powered writing tools while simultaneously working with Windows applications in the virtual environment. Additionally, users can conveniently sign in to their Apple ID directly within macOS virtual machines running on Apple silicon, streamlining the user experience.
On the Windows front, Parallels Desktop 20 boasts impressive performance enhancements, claiming up to an 80% increase in efficiency for specific workloads, thanks to advancements in the Prism emulator integrated into Windows 11 on Arm.
The introduction of a new shared folder technology further enhances compatibility and performance when running applications across different platforms. This update significantly improves performance for applications such as Mathematica and NinjaTrader, with some operations on Mac files in Linux VMs now reported to be four times faster.
For enterprise users, the new Enterprise Edition of Parallels Desktop 20 features a Management Portal that enables organizations to monitor and manage their virtual machines while implementing advanced security policies. Enhanced licensing options, including Single Sign-On (SSO) and volume licensing, cater to the needs of larger teams. The software has also achieved SOC 2 Type 2 compliance, a vital security benchmark, and undergoes regular third-party penetration testing to maintain its resilience against cyber threats.
For IT professionals and developers, Parallels Desktop 20 introduces Enhanced DevOps services, facilitating software development across Windows, macOS, and Linux VMs. The update also enhances the Visual Studio Code Extension, which now integrates with Microsoft Copilot, allowing users to control virtual machines using natural language commands. Furthermore, the Snapshots feature and OCR-powered Packer for macOS VMs on Apple silicon have received significant upgrades.
Available for purchase or upgrade through the Parallels website and authorized resellers, Parallels Desktop 20 is offered in Standard, Pro, and Business editions. The Parallels AI Package is included at no additional cost in the Pro, Business, and Enterprise editions for 2024.
Prashant Ketkar, CTO at Parallels, emphasized the growing importance of AI in the computing landscape, stating, “As PCs become more AI-capable, we believe AI will soon be standard on every desktop. This shift challenges developers to update their applications to fully leverage AI-enabled PCs. That’s why we created the Parallels AI Package: to equip development teams—whether experts or beginners—with accessible AI models and code suggestions. This enables ISVs to build AI-enabled applications in minutes, significantly boosting productivity for every software development team using a Mac.”
