The ARMv8-A architecture, which encompasses the 64-bit AArch64 architecture and associated A64 instruction set, was first introduced into the Raspberry Pi line with Raspberry Pi 3 in 2016. From that point on, it has been possible to run a full 64-bit operating system on their flagship products, and many third-party operating systems have long been available.
However, they had continued to build their Raspberry Pi OS releases on the 32-bit Raspbian platform, aiming to maximise compatibility between devices and to avoid customer confusion.
But as of Feb 2022, customers are now declared savvy enough to manage a 64-bit OS 😉
See https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/raspberry-pi-os-64-bit/
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