News: 0001629272

  ARM Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life (Terry Pratchett, Jingo)

Linux 7.1 Lands The Apple SMC Power Driver For Reporting Battery Metrics On MacBooks

([Apple] 6 Hours Ago Apple SMC Power Driver)


The Linux Multi-Function Device "MFD" subsystem changes were merged this week for Linux 7.1 ahead of the merge window closing on Sunday.

With this merge, the Apple SMC power driver is now wired up. The [1]Apple SMC power driver has been coming together in recent months for the mainline kernel after originally being worked on by Hector Martin for Asahi Linux.

The patch wiring up the macsmc-power driver to the MFD core is now in place for in turn being able to report the AC status, battery charging status, and power metrics of Apple Silicon MacBooks under the mainline kernel. It was during the power supply merge for the Linux 7.1 cycle last week where the actual macsmc-power driver code was merged to then be enabled with this MFD pull.

While this driver has been available under Asahi Linux, for getting it into the mainline kernel required refactoring the code for making it upstream acceptable as well as adding support for newer SMC firmware versions and making other improvements.

Meanwhile for the Intel Low Power Subsystem "LPSS" the new PCI device IDs are added for next-gen Nova Lake H platforms.

See [2]the MFD pull for the full list of merged multi-function device driver changes now part of the Linux 7.1 kernel.



[1] https://www.phoronix.com/news/Apple-Silicon-Power-Driver-2026

[2] https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20260420081929.GA3202366@google.com/



Evolution Of A Linux User: The 11 Stages Towards Getting A Life

0. Microserf - Your life revolves around Windows and you worship Bill
Gates and his innovative company.
1. Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt... About Microsoft - You encounter a growing
number of problems with Microsoft solutions, shaking your world-view
2. FUD... About Linux - After hearing about this new Linux thing, you
take the plunge, but are unimpressed by the nerdware OS.
3. Born-Again Microserf - You rededicate your life to Microsoft worship
4. Disgruntled User - Microsoft software keeps screwing you over,
and you're not going to take it anymore!
5. A Religious Experience - You successfully install Linux, and are
left breathless at its elegance. No more Windows for you!
6. Linux Convert - You continue to fall in love with the new system
7. Linux Zealot - You dedicate your life to Linux World Domination...
and it shows! You go beyond mere advocacy to sheer zealotry.
8. Back To Reality - Forces out of your control compel you to
return to using Windows and Office
9. Enlightened Linux User - You become 100% Microsoft free after finding
ways to overcome the need for Microsoft bloatware
10.Get A Life - You become a millionaire after your Linux portal is
acquired; you move to a small tropical island and get a life