Apple reportedly skips M6 Pro and M6 Max, focusing on AI-first M7 chips

Here's Why Apple is Reportedly Skipping M6 Pro and M6 Max Chips

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple will be releasing a regular M6 chip, but it has no plans to offer higher-end M6 Pro and M6 Max chips. In his Power On newsletter today, he said the reason for this break in tradition is AI. "Apple had been planning major neural-processing upgrades for the M7 family and ultimately decided those improvements were important enough to justify accelerating the next generation rather than completing the M6 lineup," he explained. There won't be an M6 Ultra chip either, he said. A new 14-inch MacBook Pro with a base M6 chip will be released later this year, and then Apple plans to move on to releasing the base M7 chip in the first half of 2027, M7 Pro and M7 Max chips in late 2027, and an M7 Ultra chip in 2028. He said the M7 Ultra chip in particular "dramatically upgrades AI performance," and that it may power Apple Intelligence servers starting in 2029. "AI is no longer just another feature Apple's chips need to support," said Gurman. "It is now shaping how those products are designed and when they are shipped." The current M5 Pro and M5 Max chips launched in March, and Gurman still expects an M5 Ultra chip to debut in the Mac Studio as early as this year. A summary:M5 chip: October 2025 M5 Pro and M5 Max chips: March 2026 M5 Ultra chip: Late 2026 M6 chip: Late 2026 M7 chip: First half of 2027 M7 Pro and M7 Max chips: Second half of 2027 M7 Ultra chip: 2028Related Roundups: Mac Studio, MacBook ProTags: Apple Silicon, Mark GurmanBuyer's Guide: Mac Studio (Don't Buy), MacBook Pro (Buy Now)Related Forums: Mac Studio, MacBook ProThis article, "Here's Why Apple is Reportedly Skipping M6 Pro and M6 Max Chips" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

4 hours ago

M6 era will last just six months as Apple pushes for AI-focused M7

It takes years to tape out a chip and bring it to market, with overall industry seismic shifts taking much less time. Nothing will demonstrate that better than the rumored six-month gap between the M6 processor debut and the AI-focused M7.With no M6 Pro or M6 Max on the horizon, don't expect much from the Mac Studio. Apple's chip lines have gradually become more AI-centric, and that will be the same in the future too. However, rather than sticking to an established release format, Apple's intending to skip ahead to the bits it wants the public to use.In Sunday's "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman revives a late June report that the M6 Pro and M6 Max chips won't exist. Instead, it is putting the work into the development of AI-first chips for the M7 generation. Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

4 hours ago