Apple fast-tracks AI-focused M7 chip for 2027, skips high-end M6 Pro and Max variants entirely

Apple will skip its high-end M6 Mac chips and fast-track an AI-focused M7 generation for 2027, report claims -- may release a base M6 chip for entry-level Macs this year

Pro, Max, and Ultra tiers move to the M7 line as Apple chases memory bandwidth for on-device AI. Apple will release a base M6 chip for entry-level Macs this year but skip the Pro and Max versions of that generation, jumping instead to an accelerated M7 family built around on-device AI, according to a report from Bloomberg. It's the first time since the M1 that a generation would arrive without higher-end variants, and it pulls the M7 forward by as much as six months, with Pro and Max parts now due in late 2027 and an Ultra in 2028. The M6, codenamed Komodo, is set for entry-level machines, including a refreshed 14-inch MacBook Pro, which has seen unprecedented price rises to $1,999. According to the report, which quotes individuals who asked not to be named, it reaches around 200 GB/s of memory bandwidth against 153 GB/s on the M5, with a redesigned GPU carrying up to 12 cores, up from 10. Every family from the M1 through the M5 paired its base silicon with Pro and Max derivatives, and three of them also gained an Ultra. The base M7, codenamed Delos, targets roughly 240 GB/s and could come in the first half of 2027, with the Pro, Max, and Ultra parts grouped internally under the Andros codename. Apple is fast-tracking the line to meet demand for on-device AI and heavier graphics work. Apple has declined to comment, and none of the specifications or dates have been confirmed by the company. Memory bandwidth dictates how fast a chip can move the large data blocks, the main bottleneck for AI inference, and the climb from 153 GB/s to 200 GB/s to a planned 240 GB/s is a roughly 56% bandwidth increase from M5 to base M7. Those are figures for the base parts. The current M3 Ultra already delivers up to 819 GB/s by fusing two Max dies, which is why the high-end tiers, not the base chips, carry the heaviest local-AI workloads. The M6 also reportedly pairs an upgraded Neural Engine with faster GPU and CPU cores. Apple is still planning to release an M5 Ultra this year, codenamed Sotra, with around 36 CPU cores, 80 GPU cores, and tested support for up to 768GB of unified memory. It would refresh a Mac Studio that currently runs the M3 Ultra, after Apple skipped an M4 Ultra altogether. That 768 GB ceiling sits against a current M3 Ultra Mac Studio capped at 96 GB, after Apple pulled its 512 GB tier and raised the 96 GB-to-256 GB upgrade to $2,000, then dropped the 128GB option as well. Whether the highest M5 Ultra memory tiers reach buyers depends on supply constraints; those haven't eased and are unlikely to in the near future. Apple raised prices across its Mac and iPad lines on Thursday, part of a crunch that outgoing CEO Tim Cook called a "hundred-year flood" in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, blaming AI server demand for pulling high-bandwidth memory away from consumer hardware. Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News, or add us as a preferred source, to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds.

Apple will reportedly skip the M6 Pro and Max and jump straight to M7 - Engadget

Apple may be changing up more than its prices. According to the latest report from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, the tech company's silicon strategy could also look different next year. His sources claim that Apple will not release Pro or Max versions of its upcoming M6 chip. If this does come to pass, it would be the first time Apple has only offered a base version of its in-house silicon. Instead of offering more powerful M6s, Gurman writes that Apple would leap ahead to the M7 generation. Those chips reportedly will be designed to center on powering artificial intelligence. AI and Siri were the key talking points during the WWDC keynote this year, so its not surprising that Apple would continue to emphasize on-device AI in the next generation of hardware. In skipping the more powerful versions of the M6, Apple could release the M7 during the first half of 2027. It would potentially be followed by M7 Max and Pro chips at the end of 2027. Apple hasn't released an Ultra model since the M3 generation, but according to Gurman, we could see an M7 Ultra arriving in 2028. It's unclear if this change in strategy means Apple will be delaying its first possible touchscreen laptop, which was rumored to be coming to the M6 MacBook Pro. The company introduced the M5 Pro and Max chips earlier this year, and we expect to see the M6 announced for its entry-level MacBooks before the end of 2026.

Apple M7 chips: it's skipping the high-end M6

Apple is breaking its own playbook. It will skip the high-end versions of its M6 chip and leap to an AI-focused M7 line. Apple M7 chips, not the M6, will power its best Macs from 2027. Apple has changed how it rolls out Mac chips, and the shift is bigger than it sounds. The company will release a base M6 processor as early as this year for entry-level Macs. For the first time, though, it will not make Pro or Max versions of that chip. Those higher-end parts will instead arrive in 2027 as part of a new M7 generation, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the plans. Apple, currently on its M5 series, declined to comment. The change matters because it breaks a pattern Apple has held since 2020. Every family from M1 to M5 shipped with Pro and Max variants. The M1, M2 and M3 even gained a top-tier Ultra. An M-series generation with only a base chip is a first. The split matters because of which machines use which chip. Apple's Pro and Max parts drive its high-end Mac minis, Mac Studios and MacBook Pros. The base chips power entry-level MacBook Pros, cheaper Mac minis and iMacs, plus some iPad Pro and iPad Air models. Skipping the high-end M6, then, holds back Apple's most demanding computers, not its cheapest. Why Apple is leapfrogging The official logic is speed. Apple wants to fast-track technology it had planned for later. The aim is to meet demand for on-device AI and heavier graphics work. The M7 line, the people said, is built primarily around on-device AI processing. There is a less flattering reading, too. The whole industry is wrestling with a chip and memory shortage that has pushed up costs, squeezed margins and forced delays. Apple raised prices on every current Mac and iPad on the same day this roadmap leaked. A tidy "AI fast-track" story is also a convenient frame for a roadmap reshaped by scarcity. What the M6 actually brings The base M6 is no minor update. Apple has tested it in a refreshed entry-level MacBook Pro, code-named J804, and built it to lead its class. Internally, the chip goes by Komodo. The headline gain is memory bandwidth, a measure of how fast a chip moves data, which matters more than ever for AI. The M6 is set to reach about 200GB/s, up from roughly 153GB/s on the M5. It pairs that with a new memory architecture, an upgraded neural engine for AI tasks, and faster cores across the board. A redesigned graphics processor adds up to 12 cores, two more than the M5, to juggle AI and rendering at once. The long wait for Pro power The catch is timing. Apple plans the base M7 as early as the first half of 2027. The M7 Pro and Max could follow as late as the end of that year. The M7 Ultra, the chip behind the most powerful Mac Studio, is not due until 2028. The base M7 is slated for about 240GB/s of bandwidth. So anyone who wants Apple's fastest silicon faces a real wait. A buyer eyeing a top MacBook Pro or Mac Studio has two options. Settle for an M5-era machine, or hold out well into 2027, and to 2028 for the Ultra. One stopgap remains. Apple still plans an M5 Ultra. It should arrive as early as this year in a new Mac Studio, one that slipped because of supply and cost pressure. The chip is no slouch, with around 36 processing cores and 80 graphics cores. Apple has tested it with up to 768GB of memory. Yet the squeeze is real. Apple has cut new orders of the existing M3 Ultra Mac Studio from 512GB to just 96GB. A bet on in-house AI silicon The reshuffle lands at a sensitive moment. Apple's chips are its sharpest edge over rivals that lean on Intel and Qualcomm. The silicon team now reports to Johny Srouji, newly promoted to chief hardware officer. John Ternus, meanwhile, is moving toward the chief executive role. The Mac is only part of it. Apple is also said to be moving iPhone chips to a 2-nanometre process. Fresh silicon is coming for a foldable phone due this year, and for 20th-anniversary iPhones in 2027. Designing its own chips remains the company's core advantage, which is exactly why a roadmap this scrambled is worth watching. The throughline is AI. Apple is rebuilding its chip plan around on-device intelligence. It is doing so while a shortage reshapes what it can ship, and when. Whether that leaves Pro users patient or frustrated is the question the next two years will settle.

2027 Macs to Get AI-Focused M7 Chips as Apple Skips High-End M6

Apple is changing its Apple silicon launch timeline to speed up the debut of chips designed for artificial intelligence workloads, reports Bloomberg. Apple plans to release an M6 chip for entry-level Macs as soon as this year, but it has canceled plans for higher-end M6 Pro and M6 Max chips. Instead, Apple's next Pro and Max chips will be part of its M7 chip lineup, with the first M7 chips launching in 2027. An M5 Ultra chip could also come as soon as this year. * M5 Ultra - Late 2026 * M6 - Late 2026 * M7 - First half of 2027 * M7 Pro - End of 2027 * M7 Max - End of 2027 * M7 Ultra - 2028 Apple is speeding up development on M7 chips because they have technologies supporting on-device AI and GPU-intensive software. Since the launch of the first Apple silicon chips, Apple has always had at least three variants, including the base M-series chip, a Pro version, and a Max version. The M6 will mark the first time that Apple is not coming out with a Pro or Max chip for the line. Apple could update the entry-level MacBook Pro with an M6 chip as soon as this year. It is expected to have around 200GB/s memory bandwidth for better graphics and faster AI processing and video editing. The base M5 chip has 153GB/s memory bandwidth, and the base M7 chip could have 240GB/s bandwidth. Bloomberg says the M6 will also include an updated memory architecture and an upgraded Neural Engine, along with performance improvements across all of the processor cores and a redesigned GPU with up to 12 cores. Prior rumors have suggested the M6 will be the first built on Apple's new 2-nanometer process. The base M6 could also be used in the entry-level Mac mini and iMac, along with upcoming iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The higher-end MacBook Pro models and higher-end Mac mini will use the M7 Pro and M7 Max. The Mac Studio will use the M7 Max and M7 Ultra. Bloomberg says Apple still plans to release an M5 Ultra for a refreshed version of the Mac Studio as soon as this year. The M5 Ultra will have approximately 36 CPU cores and 80 GPU cores. An M5 Ultra Mac Studio could have as much as 768GB of unified memory. Apple is working on a high-end "MacBook Ultra" with an OLED display and a touchscreen, and rumors suggested it could come as soon as late 2026. That seems unlikely now with the M7 Pro and M7 Max chips slated for late 2027, unless Apple equips the high-end MacBook Pro with an M6, the M5 Max, or the M5 Ultra chip. News of Apple's updated chip launch timeline comes just after the company raised prices across all of its Macs and iPads.

Report: Apple to skip M6 Pro/Max chips, fast-track M7 for local AI

This strategic shift reflects Apple's response to intense competition in AI processing, prioritizing faster chip advancement over traditional release schedules. Apple's M-series release cadence has been very predictable so far. According to a new report from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, that's about to change, and it's all about getting more powerful products to market sooner. Here's how it works now. First, Apple launches a standard low-end M chip (M4, or M5, for example) that is found in high-volume products such as MacBook Air, Mac mini, and the entry-level MacBook Pro. That's followed roughly six months later by higher-end Pro and Max versions with more CPU and GPU cores, for more expensive high-performance products. And finally, Apple occasionally ships the highest-end "Ultra" versions of the chip family (basically two Max chips stitched together), last seen in the M3 generation. According to Gurman's report, Apple's base M6 is on track to launch as early as this fall in Apple's entry-level products. However, he claims Apple will not debut the M6 Pro and Max variants in the spring as usual. Instead, the company is looking to fast-track the M7 generation, moving up its release dates by as much as half a year. That would mean products with an M7 processor (code-named Delos or H19G) could arrive as early as the first half of 2027, when the M6 Pro/max would usually arrive. M7 Pro and M7 Max products (code-named H19S and H19C) would then debut in late 2027 with the M7 Ultra (H19D) arriving in 2028. In other words, it would appear that we're getting the M6 on time, but then the entire M7 generation is coming half a year early. Gurman also reports that an M5 Ultra (code-named H17D) is still expected this year in an updated Mac Studio. The race to provide the best on-device AI processing is hotter than ever right now, and this appears to be the reason behind the shakeup. Nvidia made waves with the introduction of its RTX Spark chips coming to Windows laptops starting late this year, and AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm are all rushing to make the best chips for consumer AI as well. The M7 generation is expected to bring a significant boost to on-device AI performance. The base M7 will have memory bandwidth of around 240 gigabytes per second, a 20 percent boost over the rumored 200 GB/sec of the coming M6, and about 57 percent higher than the 153 GB/sec of the current M5. Pro and Max versions scale bandwidth up from there. Beyond memory bandwidth, both GPU performance and Neural Engine performance are crucial to on-device AI processing. The M6 is alleged to have a new-generation GPU with more cores, an improved Neural Engine, and better performance across all processing cores. It's unclear what further advancements the M7 will have, but one should expect an AI-focused chip to focus on GPU and Neural Engine improvements.

AppleInsider.com

Apple is rumored to skip M6 Pro and M6 Max Apple Silicon chips in favor of new, AI-first M7 chips, according to a new report. Apple is expected to launch its first M6 MacBook Pro laptops later in 2026, but while there would normally be M6 Pro and M6 Max variants, these chips are rumored to not see the light of day. That's according to a Bloomberg report, which claims the entry-level M6 chip will focus on improved memory bandwidth when compared to the M5 it will replace. The move not to launch an M6 Pro or M6 Max would be notable for Apple. It would be the first time that it hasn't done so since the move to Apple Silicon. It's unclear whether it will set a precedent or be a one-off. M6, coming in hot If the report is correct, Apple will bump the M5's 153 gigabytes per second memory bandwidth to 200 gigabytes per second with the M6. It'll do that by bringing a new memory architecture to the chip alongside an upgraded Neural Engine. The same report notes that Apple has tested M6 chips with up to 12 GPU cores, an increase over the M5's 10-core GPU. It's thought that the new M6 will be particularly performant when handling AI, graphics, and related tasks. However, while Apple isn't expected to launch an M6 Pro or M6 Max, there are still plans for an M5 Ultra. This chip will have around 36 CPU cores and 80 GPU cores, and will be offered in the Mac Studio. M7 to follow According to the report, the M7 will follow the M6 in "relatively quick succession," rather than the usual year or longer timeframe. It's thought Apple could debut the M7 as soon as the first half of 2027. Following M7, Apple will also introduce M7 Pro, M7 Max, and M7 Ultra versions for users who have more complex workflows. The Pro and Max aren't expected until the end of 2027, while the M7 Ultra is on track for 2028. It's believed that the M7 line of chips will be designed to offer notable improvements to on-device AI processing. An increase in memory bandwidth to around 240 gigabytes per second is also thought to be part of the equation.

You may have to wait until 2027 for Macs with Apple's best chips

If you've been holding off on buying a new MacBook Pro because the next generation of Apple Silicon is just around the corner, you might want to reset your expectations. A new report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests Apple is making its biggest change yet to the Mac chip roadmap. Instead of releasing a full family of M6 processors like it has with every generation since the original M1, the company is reportedly planning to launch only the standard M6 chip first. The more powerful Pro and Max variants? They may not arrive until 2027, and they'll reportedly skip the M6 branding altogether. Apple's roadmap is taking an expected detour For years, Apple's silicon strategy has been wonderfully predictable. A new generation would arrive with a standard chip, followed by Pro, Max, and sometimes Ultra variants powering the company's higher-end Macs. That consistency may be about to disappear. According to the report, Apple wants to fast-track an AI-focused chip architecture rather than spend time releasing the M6 Pro and M6 Max processors. The result could be an unusual gap in which entry-level Macs receive an M6 upgrade, while premium MacBook Pros, Mac Studios, and Mac minis continue to rely on the current M5 generation until the M7 lineup is ready. It's a bold move, but one that reflects where the industry is headed. AI workloads are becoming just as important as raw CPU performance, and Apple appears determined to optimize its next flagship chips around that reality rather than simply delivering another annual refresh. The wait could bring more than just faster performance If the report is accurate, the M6 itself won't be a minor update. It's expected to feature significantly higher memory bandwidth, a redesigned GPU, an upgraded Neural Engine, and architectural improvements aimed squarely at AI tasks, video editing, and graphics-heavy workloads. The bigger leap, however, is reportedly reserved for the M7 family. Apple is said to be designing its next-generation Pro, Max, and Ultra chips with on-device AI as a primary focus. That could translate into faster local AI models, smoother creative workflows, and better multitasking without relying on cloud processing. The downside is obvious -- power users hoping for a new MacBook Pro powered by an M6 Pro or M6 Max may simply never get one. It's worth remembering that none of this has been officially confirmed by Apple. But if the roadmap holds, the company is signaling something interesting: the race to build the smartest chips may now matter more than releasing the fastest ones every year. For Mac enthusiasts, that's both exciting and a test of patience. The next big leap may be worth waiting for, but it sounds like you'll be waiting a little longer than usual.

No M6 Pro and Max By Apple ? What is in the pipeline for the next Apple silocon?

Apple's predictable chip roadmap is reportedly set for a major shift, with the company possibly skipping M6 Pro and Max variants to focus on an AI-driven M7 family by 2027. Apple has one of the most predictable silicon roadmaps in the industry. Every generation follows a familiar pattern: base chip first, followed by Pro, Max, and eventually Ultra variants. But according to a report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, that roadmap could be about to change in a big way. The report says Apple will launch the standard M6 chip later this year for entry-level Macs, including a refreshed MacBook Pro. However, instead of following up with M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, Apple is reportedly planning to skip those models entirely and move directly to an AI-focused M7 family in 2027. The M7 Pro and M7 Max are expected later that year, with an M7 Ultra following in 2028. If accurate, this would be the first time since Apple introduced Apple Silicon with the M1 in 2020 that it has skipped an entire Pro and Max generation. Why this is significant On the surface, this looks like a simple roadmap adjustment. In reality, it signals where Apple's priorities are shifting. Bloomberg reports that the M6 will increase memory bandwidth to around 200 GB/s, up from roughly 153 GB/s on the M5, alongside improvements to the GPU and Neural Engine. The M7 reportedly pushes memory bandwidth even further to about 240 GB/s, with a much stronger focus on on-device AI workloads. That's the key takeaway. Apple is no longer talking only about faster CPUs or graphics. The emphasis is increasingly on AI performance, memory bandwidth, and dedicated neural processing. The AI race is reshaping silicon The reported roadmap also reflects a broader trend across the industry. Every major AI company is discovering that owning the silicon underneath the software is becoming just as important as building the software itself. Custom chips offer tighter integration, better performance, lower long-term costs, and reduced dependence on suppliers like Nvidia. Apple has believed in that strategy for years. If Bloomberg's report is accurate, the company now appears willing to reshuffle an otherwise disciplined chip roadmap to accelerate its AI ambitions. There's another factor: memory. The timing is also notable. Just days ago, Apple raised prices across several Macs and iPads in India following higher memory costs driven by AI infrastructure demand. That same industry-wide pressure makes memory bandwidth an increasingly valuable part of chip design. While Apple has not linked these developments, they point to the same reality: AI is influencing everything from hardware architecture to pricing. What it means for buyers For users waiting to upgrade to a Pro or Max Mac, the reported roadmap could mean a longer wait. If Apple skips the M6 Pro and M6 Max altogether, the M5 Pro and M5 Max would remain the flagship professional chips until the M7 family arrives in late 2027. It's important to remember that none of this has been officially announced by Apple. The roadmap is based entirely on Bloomberg's reporting, and plans can change before launch. But if the report proves accurate, the bigger story isn't that Apple skipped a generation. It's that AI has become important enough to reshape one of the most predictable product roadmaps in the tech industry.

Mac Studio Redesign Isn't Expected Until The M7 Ultra Arrives In 2028, And That'll Only Happen Because Of Increased Power Requirements

The M5 family is missing one member that'll eventually power the updated Mac Studio's innards, and that's the M5 Ultra. With the launch expected later this year, Apple will finally bring its most powerful workstation-class silicon to the masses, and even though it won't be cheap, we're looking forward to its release. Unfortunately, as far as design changes go, the new Mac Studio will look similar to its predecessors, but Apple won't keep this trend going with the M7 Ultra, as the latter's higher power requirements will necessitate a major change. Internal upgrades, such as a bigger heatsink is expected in the M7 Ultra-powered Mac Studio, allowing for higher sustained performance when running AI workloads With the M6 Pro, M6 Max, and M6 Ultra out of the picture, Apple will only introduce the higher-tier M7 Pro, M7 Max, and M7 Ultra, with the last SoC expected sometime in 2028, according to Mark Gurman's 'Power On' newsletter. No specifications of the powerful silicon have been mentioned, though we have reported that the base M7 will feature 240GB/s of unified memory bandwidth, making it 56 percent higher than the M5's. Given that the M7 will be intended to boost AI-related workloads, the M7 Ultra could be another beast altogether and will require beefier cooling. The report states that the internal changes to the 2028 Mac Studio include a larger solution, but it doesn't specifically mention whether the compact workstation will sport any external design changes to accommodate the larger heatsink. What we do know is that the more robust cooling will enable the M7 Ultra to handle the most demanding of on-device AI workloads, not to mention being able to play those high visual fidelity games at maximum settings. Sadly, only a modicum of consumers can become the proud owners of the M7 Ultra Mac Studio, as Apple has raised the prices of its machines to unfathomable levels. The most expensive Mac available on Apple's website is the M3 Ultra-powered Mac Studio, and with its 96GB of unified memory, it costs an eye-watering $14,299. Since the Cupertino firm will have to bear the skyrocketing DRAM costs, the M7 Ultra will be out of reach for the majority of buyers, but it'll still be interesting to see what kind of numbers it can crunch. News Source: Bloomberg Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.

Apple's M7 To Bring New On-Device AI Performance Levels, With Its Unified Memory Bandwidth Reportedly 56% Higher Than M5, Launch Expected In H1 2027

* 0-20%: Unlikely - Lacks credible sources * 21-40%: Questionable - Some concerns remain * 41-60%: Plausible - Reasonable evidence * 61-80%: Probable - Strong evidence * 81-100%: Highly Likely - Multiple reliable sources A chipset's AI inference performance largely depends on its unified memory bandwidth and memory count, which is why a truckload of M5 Max MacBook Pro purchases have been made to take advantage of its 128GB memory pool. Sadly, the base Apple Silicon hasn't been given much priority in this area, but things could change with the arrival of the M7. M7 to have a lower unified memory bandwidth than the M5 Pro, but it'll still be high enough to make a proper difference compared to the M5 A ton of specification details surrounding the M7 are shrouded in mystery, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has shared the SoC's potential timeline, stating it will arrive sometime in the first half of next year. This means that the M6, which is said to be found in the upcoming 14-inch MacBook Pro, is expected to have a short lifespan as it'll potentially be succeeded in six months or less. Given that the M7 will likely be fabricated on TSMC's 2nm process, Apple could target higher clock speeds, resulting in increased single-core and multi-core scores. However, the number of performance and efficiency cores hasn't been mentioned in the report, though it's stated that the M6 could ship with a maximum of 12 GPU cores. Perhaps the biggest difference between the two Apple Silicon generations is on-device AI performance. With the M7 said to feature 240GB/s unified memory bandwidth, it'll be miles faster than the M5, which tops out at just 153GB/s. This upgrade is an excellent starting point to boost on-device AI performance, though we're disappointed to see that the M7 continues to be slower than the M5 Pro in this regard, as the latter's unified memory bandwidth is 307GB/s. Also, with the M5 limited to 24GB of memory, it'll be interesting to see the maximum unified memory count surrounding the M7. Even if the M7 won't be as capable as people expect, buyers planning to upgrade next year also have the option to opt for the M7 Pro and M7 Max MacBook Pro series, as Apple is said to forego the launch of the M6 Pro and M6 Max. News Source: Bloomberg Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.

Apple could skip M6 Pro and Max chips in favor of AI-focused M7 lineup: Report

Apple is reportedly preparing a major change to its Mac silicon roadmap. According to a Bloomberg report by Mark Gurman, the company, currently on its M5 chip family, plans to introduce only the base M6 processor for entry-level Macs while skipping the M6 Pro and M6 Max variants. Apple is instead expected to debut its next Pro and Max processors as part of an AI-focused M7 generation with more advanced computing and graphics capabilities. The reported roadmap would mark the first time Apple introduces only the base chip in a new M-series generation after releasing Pro and Max variants with every family from M1 through M5. The company also introduced Ultra variants with the M1, M2 and M3 generations. Apple changes Mac silicon roadmap Gurman reports that Apple is changing its roadmap to fast-track technologies originally planned for a later release. The revised strategy is also expected to help meet growing demand for on-device AI capabilities and increasingly graphics-intensive software. Apple's Pro and Max processors typically power higher-end Macs, while the standard chips are used in entry-level Mac models as well as selected iPad Pro and iPad Air devices. M6 chip: Expected upgrades Apple has reportedly been testing the M6 processor in a refreshed entry-level MacBook Pro, internally codenamed J804. The chip, internally known as Komodo (H18G), is expected to feature improvements to CPU performance, graphics, AI processing and memory architecture. The reported M6 upgrades include: * Updated memory architecture * Faster CPU performance across all cores * Upgraded Neural Engine for AI processing * Enhanced video encoding and decoding * Redesigned GPU with up to 12 graphics cores, compared with up to 10 on the M5 The M6 is also expected to increase memory bandwidth to around 200GB/s, up from approximately 153GB/s on the M5. The higher bandwidth is expected to improve AI workloads, video editing, model training and high-resolution graphics rendering, while the redesigned GPU is intended to better handle concurrent AI, graphics and other demanding workloads. AI-focused M7 lineup Following the launch of the base M6, Apple is reportedly planning a rapid transition to the M7 generation, which is designed around more advanced on-device AI processing while also improving computing and graphics performance. The reported M7 lineup includes: * M7 (Delos/H19G) * M7 Pro (H19S) * M7 Max (H19C) * M7 Ultra (H19D) The higher-end M7 Pro, M7 Max and M7 Ultra chips are internally referred to as the Andros family. The base M7 could debut as early as the first half of next year, followed by the M7 Pro and M7 Max by the end of 2027. The M7 Ultra, which typically delivers roughly double the performance of Apple's Max processors, is expected in 2028 for the highest-end Mac Studio models. The base M7 processor is also expected to support approximately 240GB/s of memory bandwidth. M5 Ultra still planned Apple is also reportedly planning to introduce the M5 Ultra, internally codenamed Sotra D (H17D), in a new Mac Studio, codenamed J775, that was postponed because of supply and cost challenges. The chip is expected to feature around 36 CPU cores, 80 GPU cores and support for up to 768GB of unified memory during testing. The report notes that component shortages could affect final memory configurations. While the M3 Ultra Mac Studio originally launched with support for up to 512GB of unified memory, Apple has reportedly since limited new orders to 96GB because of continuing supply constraints. Leadership and industry challenges Apple's custom silicon strategy enables closer integration between its chips, hardware and software. The chip division is led by Johny Srouji, who was promoted to Chief Hardware Officer as part of John Ternus' transition to Chief Executive Officer and now oversees hardware engineering for Macs, iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch and other Apple devices. Bloomberg reports that industry-wide chip and memory shortages have increased costs, squeezed margins, affected supply, caused shipment delays and prompted Apple to reassess parts of its product roadmap and operations planning. Outlook Beyond its Mac roadmap, Apple is reportedly preparing next-generation iPhone processors based on a 2-nanometer manufacturing process, new silicon for its foldable iPhone expected this year, and processors planned for the company's 20th anniversary iPhone models in 2027. If the reported roadmap moves forward, Apple would introduce only the base M6 processor before transitioning its premium Mac lineup to the AI-focused M7 generation, marking the first time the company skips Pro and Max variants within an M-series chip family.

Apple may skip M6 Pro and Max chips entirely, jumping straight to an AI-focused M7 lineup

The report comes the same week Apple quietly raised Mac and iPad prices in India, Apple is preparing a significant change to its Mac chip strategy, according to a Bloomberg report by Mark Gurman. The company is shipping its M5 generation now and plans a base M6 chip later this year for entry-level Macs. But for the first time since the M1 launched in 2020, Apple will reportedly skip the Pro and Max variants entirely, jumping straight to a new AI-focused M7 lineup for its higher-end chips instead. The move is meant to fast-track AI and graphics technologies planned for later, meeting rising demand for on-device AI sooner. Apple has introduced Pro and Max variants with every chip generation from M1 through M5, so skipping them would be unusual. The base M6 is expected to bring a redesigned GPU, an upgraded Neural Engine and memory bandwidth rising to around 200 GB/s from roughly 153 GB/s on the M5. The base M7 could arrive as early as the first half of next year, with M7 Pro and M7 Max following by late 2027 and an M7 Ultra expected in 2028 for the highest-end Mac Studio. Apple still plans one more M5 Ultra chip for a delayed Mac Studio, though memory configurations may be limited by ongoing supply constraints, the same issue cited for the broader roadmap change. Coincidentally, Apple raised Mac and iPad prices globally this week and in India the jumps have been steep. The Mac mini with the M4 chip now costs Rs 82,900, up from Rs 59,900, while the MacBook Air M5 has risen from Rs 1,20,900 to Rs 1,49,900. Apple TV 4K and HomePod prices have climbed sharply too. Apple hasn't officially commented on either the chip roadmap or the price increases, but both appear to trace back to the same cause which is a global memory shortage that outgoing CEO Tim Cook has described as "a hundred-year flood".