The researcher who brought to attention an abnormal SSD wearout indicator on Apple M1-based Macs earlier this year believes that the company has resolved the issue with the release of its macOS 11.4 operating system. Apple has never acknowledged the problem, so the company hasn't provided any official information on the matter. Meanwhile, those who worry about their drives (which can only be replaced by swapping out the whole motherboard) can now update to the new operating system for some additional peace of mind.
In February, some owners of the latest Apple M1-powered Macs discovered that SSDs in their systems observed a higher-than-expected wearout rate, at least based on the SMART data that tracks SSD endurance. Some users reported 1% of wear after a few months of use, while others reported 3% after two months in use. In both cases, that means that abnormal levels of wear could potentially shorten a drive's lifespan to a few years.
Hector Martin, a technology researcher and a developer who ports Linux to Apple Silicon computers, attracted attention to the issue and did some additional investigation which demonstrated that endurance ratings were proportionate to drive size, but that was still bad news for Apple M1 owners.
