Apple's Ambitious Chip Roadmap: M6, M7, and AI Server Processors in Development

Apple reportedly readies Baltra processors for AI servers

According to Bloomberg, Apple is developing data center-grade processors meant primarily to serve inquiries from Apple Intelligence. Like many of its industry peers, the company is working with Broadcom to develop its AI accelerators. Yet, the details the news agency presents may indicate that Apple has bigger plans for its in-house data center hardware. Apple's data center processor is reportedly codenamed Baltra; it was developed in partnership with Broadcom and is expected to be completed by 2027. All Broadcom-designed AI processors typically use systolic arrays of proprietary processing elements (usually tensor or matrix units) and HBM memory stacks. However, the report says that Apple is studying different configurations for its server processor, including models that have 'double, quadruple or eight times the number of main processing and graphics cores as today's M3 Ultra.' The M3 Ultra is a formidable CPU regarding core count: it packs 24 high-performance and eight energy-efficient cores. However, data center processors do not tend to use hybrid designs, so we can only wonder whether the report meant eight times more general-purpose CPU cores (i.e., 256 cores) or eight times more high-performance CPU cores (192 cores). Quadrupling M3 Ultra's graphics clusters will probably result in performance comparable to that of Nvidia's GeForce RTX 5090 or better. But there is a catch: modern AI applications do not use general-purpose CPU or GPU cores for training or inference; instead, they use tensor or matrix units. Apple's NPU relies on matrix multiply logic optimized for on-device AI, for example. If Apple is developing an AI accelerator for inference, it would rather need to scale its NPU engine than the number of CPU cores. Still, AI servers need a CPU to schedule data flows and feed data to accelerators so that Apple might be developing both CPU and AI accelerators under the project Baltra moniker. On the Mac front, the roadmap includes several new processors. The report says that the M5 system-on-chip will be updated for iPad Pro and MacBook Pro models by the end of 2025, which is no surprise. Beyond that, Apple is developing system-on-chip devices referred to internally as M6 (codenamed Komodo) and M7 (codenamed Borneo), intended to power subsequent generations of iPad and Mac devices. Another high-end chip, Sotra, is also under development, though no details about its target devices are known. In addition, Apple is developing custom processors for its wearable devices, such as augmented reality smart glasses.

Apple pushes ahead with M6, M7, smart glasses, and AI chips in sweeping silicon roadmap

Forward-looking: Apple's M5 chip is expected to make its debut in the MacBook Pro and iPad Pro later this year, but Apple is already deep into development on the M6 and M7 processors. Apple is advancing its custom silicon ambitions, with a sweeping roadmap that spans next-generation Macs, its first smart glasses, and a powerful new AI server chip. Sources familiar with the company's plans told Bloomberg that Apple is building on its recent momentum in chip design, aiming to set new standards in performance and efficiency across its entire product lineup. Apple will continue to invest heavily in custom silicon as it strives to lead not only in device performance but also in AI and wearable technology - two areas where it has attempted to make advances but has faced various challenges. The company is developing new chips to power everything from next-generation Macs to smart glasses and AI servers, aiming to maintain its tightly integrated hardware and software ecosystem. The Apple M6 SoC, known internally as "Komodo," is likely to arrive in 2026, followed by the M7, codenamed "Borneo," in 2027, if Apple maintains its annual release cadence. These chips are rumored to represent a major leap in computing power, with configurations as high as 256 CPU cores and 640 GPU cores in future generations - an exponential increase compared to the current M3 Ultra, which tops out at 32 CPU and 80 GPU cores. Alongside these chips, Apple is reportedly working on an advanced system-on-chip for Macs, codenamed "Sotra." While details remain scarce, this chip could be destined for high-end desktop models, further diversifying Apple's silicon offerings and targeting professional users who want top-tier performance. In a parallel effort, Apple is preparing to enter the still nascent but competitive smart glasses market. The company's first glasses, powered by a specialized chip called N401, are being designed to rival Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses. Drawing on the energy-efficient architecture of the Apple Watch, the N401 chip is optimized for low power consumption and is engineered to control multiple cameras integrated into the glasses. These non-augmented reality glasses will feature cameras, microphones, and on-board AI, enabling users to take photos, record video, translate languages, and receive contextual information about their surroundings. Features under consideration include environmental scanning, object identification, and navigation assistance. The glasses' processor is targeted for mass production in late 2026 or 2027, suggesting a product launch within the next 2 to 4 years. Meanwhile, Apple's ambitions for AI are expanding into the realm of large-scale infrastructure. In partnership with Broadcom, the company is developing its first AI server chip, codenamed "Baltra," which is slated to enter mass production as early as 2026 or 2027. This chip is being designed to handle Apple Intelligence requests in the cloud, replacing the current reliance on Mac-grade processors such as the M2 Ultra. Apple is reportedly testing Baltra in configurations with 2, 4, 6, or even 8 times the CPU and GPU cores of the M3 Ultra, meaning the chip could boast up to 256 CPU cores and 640 GPU cores at its highest. Such a leap could position Apple as a major player in AI infrastructure, enabling faster and more efficient cloud-based intelligence for its devices. These developments are part of a broader strategy within Apple's hardware technology group, which is also working on chips for camera-equipped AirPods and Apple Watch models, with launches targeted around 2027. The company's silicon roadmap also includes upgrades to its in-house modem technology, with the C2 and C3 modems expected to improve wireless connectivity in future iPhones.

Apple M6 and M7 chips for Mac may already be in the works -- to power future AI features

Apple's M4 chips have only just arrived on the latest MacBook Air M4, but there's now word the tech giant is already developing M6, M7 and beyond -- with the goal of bringing Apple Intelligence into focus. Next-gen custom processors from Apple are reportedly in the works, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman (via MacRumors), and they're set to power upcoming Macs, AI servers and even rumored Apple smart glasses. The chips for Mac are expected to arrive after Apple M5 chips, which will likely be announced this year. Several chips are said to be in development, including codename "Komodo," which is tipped to be M6 processors, "Borneo" for M7 chips and "Sotra," an advanced Mac chip set to arrive sometime further down the line. With this in mind, there's reason to believe we'll see M6 debut next year, with M7 in 2027 and so forth. There's no telling how advanced these chips will be, especially for future AI features. However, considering the performance bumps we've seen in M4 benchmarks compared to previous Apple processors, we can expect major gains. That's not all, as the Cupertino tech giant is also working on specialized chips for AI servers, which will be the "first processors expressly made for that purpose." This is part of project "Baltra," with the chips being made to process Apple Intelligence requests remotely and having up to eight times the CPUs and GPUs in the current M3 Ultra chip. The AI server-specific processors are expected to be finished by 2027, so there's still a few years until we start seeing major, streamlined improvements to Apple Intelligence on our devices. Currently, Apple uses high-end chips such as the M2 Ultra to power AI servers. While there are plenty of Apple Intelligence features on Mac that come in handy, such as its writing tools and audio recording summarize, it arguably hasn't been the game-changer Apple has been hoping for. However, with these new chips aiming to power more advanced AI features, we may see more use cases from Apple Intelligence. As it stands, even iPhone owners are rarely using Apple's AI features. As we see Apple bring out more chips with higher processing power and capabilities for new AI features, Apple Intelligence could become more of an essential rather than a bonus on iPhones, iPads, MacBooks and more. For now, it will be a while before we see these rumored chips. In the meantime, we can look forward to Apple's rumored M5 iPad Pro and MacBook Pro, which may be here before the end of the year.

Apple next-gen chips leak and reveal big plans to turbo charge Apple Intelligence

Table of Contents Table of Contents Apple M6 and M7 chips Apple AI server Apple is on the M4 chip right now, with the M5 expected at the end of this year, yet leaks have now shown the M6 and M7 are on their way. That's not all. Apple is also allegedly working on a new AI server farm processor that could turbo charge your Apple Intelligence experience. Recommended Videos According to a report by Bloomberg, from sources familiar with the situation, Apple is working on multiple chips intended for use in future iPad and Mac models. The AI variant could be the most exciting though as this suggests Apple is going all in to make sure its Apple Intelligence is super powered enough to compete with the likes of OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Apple M6 and M7 chips They may yet be a ways off but Apple is reportedly already working on these next generation of chips. Presumably this is all part of the move towards AI where the chips will need to work in a new way to keep up. The M6 chip is codenamed Komodo while the M7 is being called Borneo. There is also reportedly a system-on-chip for Mac that's being called Sotra. Unfortunately, at this early stage, those names are all that is being given away and in Apple style that will likely have no meaning related to the chips themselves. Apple AI server Apple is also reportedly working on its own AI chip which could have as many as six times more CPU and GPU cores than the M3 Ultra. This could be the chip that helps to super charge Apple Intelligence, while giving Apple more control over its AI future. Of course Apple and AI has been in the news a lot of late with many varied reports about who it will partner with. It's a fast moving set of changes and presumably Apple is covering a lot of bases. Please enable Javascript to view this content

Apple working on M6 & M7 chips alongside new AI server processor

An M5-powered MacBook Pro could debut in 2025, while M6 and M7 chips will likely follow in the coming years. While Apple's M5 chip is expected to debut on Mac and iPad, in late 2025, the company's M6 and M7 chips are in the works, in conjunction with a new AI server farm processor. Specifically, the report claims that the M6 chip, codenamed "Komodo," and the M7, internally referred to as "Borneo," are in the works. There's even said to be an advanced Mac-related system-on-chip in development, known under the codename "Sotra," though no further details about the project were provided. Supposedly, Apple also has plans for new AI server chips, which would replace the M2 Ultra that the company currently uses to process remote Apple Intelligence requests. A December 2024 report indicated that Apple was working with Broadcom. The claim was reiterated in Thursday's article, which says the project is dubbed "Baltra," and that it's set to be completed by 2027. The iPhone maker is said to be experimenting with chips that have two, four, or even six times as many CPU and GPU cores as the high-end M3 Ultra. If implemented, the new AI chip would likely improve Apple Intelligence features, making them more powerful and competitive. Claims about Apple's AI-related endeavors have been all over the place, however. A March 2025 report suggested that the company was investing in Nvidia AI servers for AI development, while an April 2025 rumor said the company might partner with a Japanese chipmaker for its Apple Intelligence needs.

Forget the M5, Apple is reportedly already working on the M6 and M7

Apple's M5 chip isn't even here yet, but we're already hearing rumors about the next generation and beyond. In his latest report for Bloomberg, Apple expert Mark Gurman indicates the company is already working on the next several generations of Apple silicon, including the M6 and M7 chipsets. Apple is expected to launch the first products using the M5 in the fall, with the MacBook Pro models getting the chip first this time around. The iPad Pro and MacBook Air models with the M5 are expected to hit the market in early 2026. This means that the soonest we could see the M6 is likely Fall 2026. But what do we know about the M6 and M7 so far? Gurman's latest Apple report includes the codenames for upcoming Apple Silicon chipsets. The "Komodo" chips are expected to be the M6 generation, while the "Borneo" chips are likely the M7. Gurman also includes information on a future Apple chip codenamed "Sotra." The upcoming M6 and M7 chips are designed to power upcoming Mac devices, including the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models. And likely an iPad or two. The Apple M6 generation is expected to be the first Apple chips manufactured on TSMC's 2nm silicon wafer process node. While we still expect the M6 and M7 to be powerful computing chips, Apple appears to focus more on AI for future chip generations. This makes perfect sense. As more people use artificial intelligence, we start demanding more from it, leading to more complex AI models that require more powerful hardware. Since AI uses all three hardware accelerators (CPU, GPU, and NPU), it stands to reason that the M6 and M7 will be powerful all-around chips. But that's not Apple's development team's only AI in the works. Apple is also working on data center chips that will be used in the Apple Intelligence servers, replacing the current high-end Mac chips that run the Apple servers. These chips are part of the "Baltra" project and are expected to be finished by 2027. Ultimately, this just means the Apple M5 will eventually be outpaced by its successor. That's not really news. Chips should get better with each generation as chipmakers refine the technology and adapt to smaller and smaller silicon processes. No one is happy if a chipmaker puts out a new chip that underperforms compared to the last generation or doesn't increase in performance. That was Intel's main issue with the Core Ultra 200S "Arrow Lake" launch on desktops last fall. Intel is still tweaking 200S performance even six months later. If Apple's usual performance trend holds, the M5 generation will still improve over the M4. And the M6 will improve on the M5, while the M7 will improve on the M6. If you just upgraded to an M3 or M4 Mac, you can wait until the M6 or later. But if you're still using an old Intel-based Mac or the M1 generation, you may consider upgrading to the M5. After all, the average laptop upgrade cycle is around four years.

Apple's future-gen M6, M7, M8 chips in development: up to 256-core CPU, 640-core GPU teased

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. TweakTown may also earn commissions from other affiliate partners at no extra cost to you. Apple's new M5 processors will be launching later this year, but the company is cooking up its next-gen M6, M7, and M8 processors with up to a game-changing 256 CPU cores, and an even more impressive 640 GPU cores. In a new report from industry insider Mark Gurman on Bloomberg, we're hearing Apple is working on several new M-series processors including the M6 (codenamed Komodo), M7 (codenamed Borneo) and also another, more advanced Mac chip that is in development says Gurman, dubbed Sotra (this should be the M8). Apple's new AI server chips have been rumored for a little while now, with Gurman writing that this could be the first processors "expressly made for that purpose". The new chips will help process Apple Intelligence requests remotely, and then feed the information back to consumers' iDevices. Right now, Apple is performing its Apple Intelligence tasks using chips that it uses inside of its high-end Mac systems, including the higher-end M2 Ultra processor. Apple reportedly has an AI server project that uses a component that was developed by Broadcom, with the project dubbed Baltra. In his report, Gurman says that Apple is working on all sorts of different variants which have 2x, 4x, and 8x CPU and GPU cores than the company's M3 Ultra processor. Apple's M3 Ultra processor features a 32-core CPU and 80-core GPU, so with an 8x increase in CPU + GPU cores, we're looking at a monster 256 cores of CPU, and a huge 640 GPU cores.

Apple Is Reportedly Developing These Chips for Mac Models, AI Servers

These AI chips would replace Apple's Mac chips on these servers Apple Silicon was first unveiled by the company in 2020, and the company transitioned to its in-house chips from Intel over a two-year period that ended in mid-2023. While the company is expected to launch new Mac computers with its next-generation M5 chip later this year, details of its processors -- expected to arrive in 2026 and 2027 -- have surfaced online. The company is also said to be working on chips for its AI servers, to process AI requests in the cloud. According to a Bloomberg report, Apple is working on its M6 chip, which is expected to power its Mac computers that will debut in 2026. This processor is codenamed Komodo, and it is likely to arrive a year after this year's M5 chip arrives on Apple's next generation MacBook Pro and iPad Pro models. Apple is also developing its seventh generation M7 chip, which is internally referred to as Borneo, according to the report. If the company's previous release schedule is any indication, Apple could launch updated Mac computers equipped with M7 chips in 2027. The report also refers to another chip in development, which is codenamed 'Sotra'. It is said to be an "advanced Mac chip" but there's no additional information on how it will differ from the other Apple Silicon processors or when it is likely to be unveiled. Apple is also developing in-house chips for its AI servers, as per the report. While several Apple Intelligence features are designed to run on a user's device, the company will also offload some AI requests and process them remotely on its servers. These servers are expected to switch to dedicated chips, instead of using Apple's Mac chips. The biggest advantage of these new AI server ships will reportedly be the number of CPU and GPU cores -- up to eight times the number of cores available on the top-of-the-line M3 Ultra chip. This project is referred to as 'Baltra' at the Cupertino company, and could be completed over the next couple of years.