Native Instruments Warns of Irreparable Damage to DJ Controllers With Apple's Big Sur Update

macOS 11 (Big Sur) could cause some serious trouble for those using Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 controllers.

A new macOS�Big Sur update is usually great news for Apple users, but those who also use Native Instruments' Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 DJ controller might want to take caution before nabbing the latest update. 

Native Instruments has warned of the potentially harmful effects of the update in regards to the company's S4 Mk3 controller, which could be subjected to irreversible damage. The S4—and other devices built for Intel processing structures—don't exactly mesh with Apple's shift to their own in-house Silicon-based processing. "Using a Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 on macOS 11 (Big Sur) can cause malfunction and potentially damage your controller,†the company warned in a statement on its support pages. “We are working together with Apple to find a solution to this problem.â€

There is not a detailed description on the support pages of what exactly could happen to the S4 controllers if used with macOS 11, but it appears Native Instruments is working toward a solution for Apple users looking to update their software. Native Instruments also warned that some of their older models will not work with the update at all, and other devices—such as the Maschine Mk2 or Mikro Mk2—might not jive with it either due to high CPU usage. 

As Native Instruments continues to test their devices with macOS, the company issued a final note of caution: “Compatibility with macOS Big Sur will not yet ensure compatibility with Apple Silicon processors.†

You can find out more about the update's compatibility with Native Instruments' products here and keep an eye on the company's support pages for more information. 

source https://edm.com/gear-tech/native-instruments-macos-11-big-sur-issue