We do automatically random seed for animation. (this has changed)
And M1 support is there for prorender. We’ll be updating the blender plugin soon for it with the denoiser, just need that part finished
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Yes! Yes! Yesssssss!!!
Thanks.
Ah yes, I’d almost forget that ProRender also has Metal support. I’ll keep a return to ProRender in mind as an option. I was an early ProRender adopter in my iMac days.
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Yes. I’ve got the Blender Octane custom build installed. My workflow is usually: sculpting in the latest Sculpt Dev build, then when I’m done I start Blender Octane and load the scene to start working on the lighting, materials and rendering.
I don’t want to heavily invest time in a renderer that seems to perform weak on macOS though, so I’ll keep an eye on the developments. I’ve got some time left to observe macOS renderer developments, as a better iMac will probably not be released in 2021 anymore. 
Not Blender Specific but interesting to see how slowly and steady many apps support Metal and newer GPU technologies.
https://9to5mac.com/2021/08/30/chrome-94-beta-adds-webgpu-api-with-support-for-apples-metal/
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They kind of have no choice if they want to support the Mac platform. They either do it now while they have the opportunity or when Apple forces them to.
the thing is however that they replaced WebGL with a better API that also support different APIs like Vulcan Metal DirectX
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OK, the usual CAD Apps will release from mid September to October.
And I am very excited on how much Apple ARM / Metall / Unified
Memory optimization is in there.
I think these dates/time frames are valid for most Apps where Apple did
not directly their work for them.
Vectorworks says we M1 users will be pleased, Bricscad says nothing so far
but I am even more confident.
Maybe some of my currently M1 16 GB failing Files will run better though,
without Rosetta penalty and a few API adaptions.
My Modo does seem to not have Metal / ARM on top of their list and maybe
need another or three more years. C4D is already, but I am stuck with R21,
my latest perpetual License.
So I would not expect any non Apple curated App offer real Apple ARM
support than from now on, like RED and most Adobes.
So for Blender I would give a bit more time,
like end of Q1 2022.
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Yes, Blender has a native Apple ARM Version.
It is not that difficult to make an App on Apple compatible to compile
it native for Apple ARM. So no more Rosetta “emulation”.
But so far that’s it.
There is no Metal and likely not much use of newer Apple APIs
that are designed to make best use of M1 Hardware.
So for the CAD, I expect both, VW and Bricscad to release a
“native” Apple ARM build of their coming next version.
VW is said to even go from OpenGL to Metal and DirectX for
Windows.
But I am very excited to see if there are also ARM optimizations
already. Like Memory handling, assigning Tasks to to specific
cores or using tiled rendering and so on.
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The Mac App Store and the GPL are not compatible.
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It makes me want to cry every time I hear about it. Imagine Apple’s announcement at some keynote:
That would change everything 
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I don’t see any advantages there. In the app store, you can’t pick your version any more. Important updates may be delayed or even rejected. What will you be doing when you update from the App Store and the new build has some terrible bug and you can’t go back to the old one?
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I don’t download DaVinci Resolve from the App Store for those reasons.
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What would you do if a huge rock suddenly hits the Earth or the gates of hell open and demons take over our beloved little planet? In the case of a terrible Blender bug, I just could go to blender.org and simply install a different app version.
The advantage of App Store is quite obvious: millions of new Blender Mac users, which means millions of dollars in grants for Blender development.
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I only care about my main 3D/CAD Apps.
Everything else I want from App Store so there is no need to care.
If I install a new Mac,
I may migrate my User Account if still clean enough
(or copy certain Settings manually)
I connect to iCloud,
go to the App Store and activate the Apps I want to download
and I’m good to go.
(Or if urgent, just boot from a CarbonCopyCloner SSD and/or
copy everything over)
On Windows it usually took me 2 weeks until the machine is
really at the same level as its predecessor.
So I just install my Pro App Packages and license them,
the Settings are already there.
And with the Pro Apps I am picky.
I already get annoyed if I have to manually download the Update
vs an Updater App. Even worse if an App isn’t even able to tell
me that there is an Update and I have to look at their website
from time to time by myself.
Of course I want to see and test the latest Betas and Alphas.
But I would be very happy to also have the latest Stable Versions
of my Pro Apps from the App Store.
For Blender I also have 2 Versions on any machine. Currently 293 and 3xx.
While on Windows or Linux my 293 is from Flatpack or Windows Store.
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What do you mean? Getting your app into the store costs money. Where would those millions come from? I think we have different ideas of how much (or little) exposure being in the App Store gives you.
Have you noticed the avalanche of new users and money after Blender went to the Windows App Store? I didn’t.
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Costs? What costs? Give me a break.
From Mac users enchanted by Blender.
I totally agree with you.
Please don’t compare apples with potatos.
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True. Windows has a lot more users.
The stats for 2020 say:
“The Microsoft Store has seen a 4x growth in terms of download rate, but its download volume is still 20x smaller than blender.org.”
I don’t think app stores are going to bring many new users to Blender.
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Again, you are absolutely right. However, it is worth noting that no windoze users use the WIndows Store, while all Mac users use the Mac App Store.
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