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SPSS Statistics on macOS Big Sur (11.0)

By Todd Peterson posted Fri November 20, 2020 05:19 PM

  
The latest version of SPSS Statistics, 27.0.1.0, is compatible with Big Sur with only a few minor exceptions which will be explained below.  Anyone looking to upgrade their macOS to Big Sur is highly encouraged to upgrade to the latest version of SPSS Statistics also.  The 27.0.1.0 download is available on Passport Advantage and Fix Central.   Learn more about how to download and install the latest SPSS Statistics here.

Before we discuss the known issues with Big Sur, here's a quick note about Apple's new M1-based hardware:

Apple has recently shipped new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini models that use a new Apple-designed M1 "System on a Chip" (SoC) which has a different architecture than the Intel chip.  SPSS Statistics is designed for the Intel chip architecture.  However, SPSS Statistics will still work on the new M1 hardware but may not run as fast.  We are investigating how to optimize SPSS Statistics with the new M1 hardware.

When installing SPSS Statistics on a M1 device, the experience will be exactly the same. There is no need for special configurations or extra steps.  This is due to an Apple supplied technology called “Rosetta 2” that is built into Big Sur.  More information can be found here: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/apple_silicon/about_the_rosetta_translation_environment.

Now, let's dive into how you can make a smooth transition to Big Sur.  Below is a breakdown of known issues by SPSS Statistics version:


SPSS Statistics 27.0.1.0

There is only one known issue so far with the latest version of SPSS Statistics on Big Sur.

R Plugin Issue 
SPSS Statistics fails to load R libraries when you attempt to run R extensions or any R plug-in syntax on Big Sur.  Learn more about this issue and how to work around it in this Tech Note.


SPSS Statistics 27

There are three known issues with version 27 on Big Sur.  The above mentioned R Plugin issue exists, as well as the following two issues:

Maximize window issue
On a Mac, clicking on the green maximize button would resize SPSS Statistics windows to use the available space on your screen (excluding the top menu bar and Dock if it is visible).   On Big Sur, this has changed. Clicking on the green maximize button will now put the SPSS Statistics window in "full screen" mode in another "Space" (a.k.a. a virtual desktop).  If one then brings up a SPSS Statistics dialog box when in full screen mode, Statistics will be put in a state where you'll need to force-quit the application.  This is an issue we have communicated to Apple to address.  For Statistics 27.0.1.0, we have worked around this issue by disabling the green maximize button.  If you cannot upgrade to 27.0.1, avoid this pitfall by double-clicking on the window title bar instead of clicking the green maximize button to expand your window in the current screen.

Drawing issue with tab bars
On Big Sur, SPSS Statistics windows that use "tab bars" will draw incorrectly so it is difficult (but not impossible) to see the tab label text.  This has been fixed in 27.0.1.0.


SPSS Statistics 26 and Fix Pack 1
If you already have SPSS Statistics 26 or Fix Pack 1 installed when you upgrade to Big Sur, your SPSS installation will be retained and will function normally with the few exceptions noted above for version 27 and 27.0.1.0. We recommend everyone with version 26 to upgrade to Fix Pack 2.

If you are installing SPSS Statistics 26 or Fix Pack 1 for the first time on Big Sur, there is a known issue with the installer due to the Mac notarization requirement. Therefore, you will need to install version 26 Fix Pack 2.

Download SPSS Statistics Fix Pack 2 for macOS on IBM Fix Central. Refer to this Tech Note for installation instructions.

Special note regarding Python: The Python 2 and Python 3 application bundles that are included with Statistics 26 are not currently supported on macOS Big Sur. 

SPSS Statistics 25

If you already have SPSS Statistics 25 installed when you upgrade to Big Sur, your SPSS installation will be retained and will function normally with the few exceptions noted above for version 27 and 27.0.1.0.

If you are installing SPSS Statistics 25 for the first time on Big Sur, there is a known issue due to the Mac notarization requirement.  Review this video to work around the issue.

Special note regarding Python: The Python 2 and Python 3 application bundles that are included with Statistics 25 are not currently supported on macOS Big Sur.

Read about other known Mac issues that were introduced with Catalina that will still be true with Big Sur. 

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