en.Wedoany.com Reported - Apple has adjusted its Mac chip release strategy, with the base M6 processor set to debut in entry-level Macs as early as this year. However, for the first time, the company will not release Pro or Max versions of this chip. According to Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the matter, these high-end versions will be introduced in 2027 as part of a new M7 series. Apple, currently in the M5 series, declined to comment.
This change breaks Apple's tradition since 2020, where each generation from M1 to M5 featured Pro and Max versions, with M1, M2, and M3 also adding top-tier Ultra versions. This marks the first M-series with only a base chip. Since different chips are used in different models, skipping the high-end M6 means delaying Apple's most powerful computer lineup rather than its cheapest.
Apple's official rationale is speed of advancement. The company wants to quickly adopt technologies originally planned for later stages to meet the demands of on-device AI and more intensive graphics processing. Sources say the M7 series will be primarily built around on-device AI processing. Meanwhile, the entire industry faces chip and memory shortages, driving up costs, squeezing margins, and causing delays. On the same day the roadmap leaked, Apple raised prices on all Macs and iPads currently for sale.
The base M6 is not a minor update. Apple has already tested it in an updated entry-level MacBook Pro (codenamed J804), positioning it as a leader in its class. Internally codenamed Komodo, the chip's main improvement lies in memory bandwidth, which is particularly important for AI. The M6's bandwidth is expected to reach approximately 200 GB/s, up from about 153 GB/s on the M5. It features a new memory architecture, an upgraded neural engine for AI tasks, and faster cores across the board. The redesigned graphics processor has up to 12 cores, two more than the M5, capable of handling both AI and rendering tasks simultaneously.
The release timeline for high-end versions faces pressure. Apple plans to launch the base M7 as early as the first half of 2027, with the M7 Pro and Max possibly arriving later that year, and the M7 Ultra expected in 2028. The base M7's bandwidth is estimated at around 240 GB/s. As a result, buyers targeting top-tier MacBook Pros or Mac Studios will either have to settle for M5-era machines or wait until 2027. As a stopgap, Apple still plans to release the M5 Ultra, which could appear in new Mac Studios as early as this year, featuring approximately 36 processing cores and 80 graphics cores, with Apple testing versions supporting up to 768 GB of memory. However, supply pressures are real, and Apple has reduced new orders for the existing M3 Ultra Mac Studio from 512 GB to just 96 GB.
This chip roadmap restructuring comes at a critical time. Apple's chip team reports to newly promoted Chief Hardware Officer Johny Srouji, while John Ternus is moving toward the CEO role. Apple is also shifting iPhone chips to a 2-nanometer process, with this year's upcoming foldable phone and the 2027 20th-anniversary iPhone both adopting new chips. Overall, Apple is rebuilding its chip plans around on-device intelligence.
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