Apple may hold back high-end Mac chip updates until M7 arrives
Bloomberg reports Apple plans to skip M6 Pro and Max chips, pushing major Mac silicon gains tied to on-device AI into the M7 line.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
3 min read
Apple may break from its Mac chip rollout pattern by limiting the coming M6 generation to a base processor, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The move could delay the next major silicon upgrade for Apple’s higher-end Macs until late 2027 or later.
Gurman reported that Apple does not plan to release M6 Pro or M6 Max chips. Instead, he said, the company aims to pull some technologies forward into the M7 family, with a focus on stronger on-device AI processing.
According to Bloomberg, the base M6 could arrive as soon as this year. Gurman reported that the standard M7 chip is expected in the first half of 2027, followed by M7 Pro and M7 Max versions as soon as the end of that year.
That schedule would leave Apple’s most powerful Macs without the usual high-end version of the M6, based on Bloomberg’s reporting. Apple typically uses its base M-series chips in entry-level MacBooks, Mac minis and iMacs, while Pro, Max and Ultra variants are reserved for more demanding systems.
A pause in Apple’s usual Mac chip cadence
Bloomberg’s timeline would mark a notable change for Apple’s in-house Mac processors. Gurman reported that every generation since the M1 has included Pro and Max versions, making the absence of those M6 variants a first for the lineup.
Apple is still completing the M5 generation, according to Gurman. The M5 Pro and M5 Max chips were released in March, while Bloomberg reports that the M5 Ultra could arrive as soon as this year in a new Mac Studio.
That M5 Ultra may be the main near-term option for customers waiting on new top-tier Mac performance, according to the report. Bloomberg did not describe a comparable M6 high-end chip coming between the base M6 and the later M7 Pro and M7 Max processors.
M7 chips expected to emphasize local AI
Gurman reported that the M7 family is being built around major improvements to AI work handled directly on the device. Apple has been under pressure to strengthen its AI features while maintaining its long-running emphasis on privacy and local processing, though Bloomberg’s report focuses on the chip schedule rather than specific software features.
The higher-end M7 chips are expected to restore Apple’s broader silicon tiers. According to Bloomberg, the M7 line is set to include Pro, Max and Ultra models, with the M7 Ultra planned for sometime in 2028.
For Mac buyers, the reported plan creates a split timeline. Entry-level machines could see the M6 first, while systems that depend on Pro, Max or Ultra chips may have to wait for the M7 generation or the final pieces of the M5 lineup, according to Gurman’s reporting.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.