# Asahi Linux upstreams macaudio and AVD drivers for Linux 7.3, M3 support goes GA

> **Key takeaway:** Asahi Linux submitted two major Apple Silicon drivers upstream for Linux 7.3 while achieving its fastest-ever major component turnaround with the 13,000-line AVD driver.

**Published:** 2026-11-07T04:30:00+00:00 
**Source:** Asahi Linux Blog 
**Category:** kernel-os 
**Canonical URL:** https://fosswire.org/news/asahi-linux-upstreams-macaudio-and-avd-drivers-for-linux-73-.html 

## Summary
The Asahi Linux project has published its progress report for the Linux 7.3 cycle, highlighting significant upstreaming milestones for Apple Silicon support. Two major drivers reached the upstream submission stage this cycle: macaudio, which required extensive core ALSA modifications and amplifier driver changes to accommodate Apple's unique audio subsystem, and AVD, a 13,000-line media driver that reached upstream review in just three months—a record for the project. Additionally, M3 series Macs have transitioned from experimental EXPERT-flag status to general availability, with Display Co-Processor (DCP) enablement bringing sleep support and usable notch-area display output to M3 MacBooks.

The report also covers substantial reverse-engineering progress on the M3 GPU, where researchers achieved initial triangle rendering, and details the project's first upstream-first development efforts including Thunderbolt support. Initial Devicetrees for M4 Pro, M4 Max, and M5 SoCs have been submitted, and the m1n1 bootloader now supports three concurrent VMs enabling macOS virtualization with Secure Kernel and Exclave isolation on M4 and M5 hardware.

## Driver upstreaming and SoC enablement details
- **macaudio driver:** Required significant core ALSA subsystem changes and modifications to existing speaker and headset amplifier drivers to support Apple's custom audio hardware variants; the driver and Devicetree changes total approximately 3,100 lines.
- **AVD driver:** Represents the project's shortest turnaround from downstream development to upstream submission at roughly three months; the driver and associated Devicetree bindings comprise approximately 13,000 lines of code.
- **M3 DCP enablement:** Display Co-Processor support is now active on M3 series devices, enabling sleep functionality and making the display area around the camera notch usable on MacBook models.
- **M4/M5 Devicetrees:** Initial barebones Devicetrees for M4 Pro, M4 Max, and M5 SoCs have been submitted upstream, sufficient for TTY boot with ongoing work toward fuller enablement.
- **Thunderbolt architecture:** Apple's custom Thunderbolt controller uses a Cortex-M3 core running RTKit firmware with a bespoke USB4 router, differing substantially from Intel-based controllers that dominate the Linux Thunderbolt subsystem.

## Why it matters
The accelerated upstreaming pace, particularly the three-month AVD driver turnaround, signals a maturing development model that reduces maintenance burden and brings Apple Silicon media capabilities to standard Linux distributions sooner. M3 general availability with DCP support removes a significant barrier for users running Linux on newer Apple hardware, while the upstream-first shift for components like Thunderbolt and USB-PD promises better long-term maintainability across the broader ARM64 ecosystem.