Apple is shifting its silicon roadmap by skipping the high-end M6 Pro and M6 Max processors entirely to jump straight to the M7 generation. According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, the change represents a notable shift in Apple’s typical release cycle. The upcoming M6 generation will only include a baseline processor rather than the usual multi-tier chip lineup.
If the report is accurate, this will be the first time Apple has released only a base chip in an M-series generation since the M1 debuted in 2020. Higher-end computers like the MacBook Pro and Mac Studio will wait for the future M7 family to get their respective processor upgrades. The transition aims to accelerate Apple’s transition to new architectures that handle on-device artificial intelligence workloads.
Also read: HP StarBook Plus 14 Launches with Intel Wildcat Lake OLED Screen
The baseline M6 processor, which has the internal codename Komodo, is currently undergoing testing in an entry-level MacBook Pro configuration. The upcoming processor has a redesigned GPU with up to 12 graphics cores compared to the 10 cores in the base M5. It also supports memory bandwidth of approximately 200 GB/s, which is higher than the 153 GB/s limit in the current generation.
In addition to memory improvements, the baseline chip has a faster Neural Engine to speed up local AI tasks and an upgraded media engine. The chip is expected to power future entry-level notebooks like the MacBook Air in 2027, as well as upcoming iPad Pro and iPad Air tablets. The roadmap changes come as other manufacturers prepare their own hardware shifts, including upcoming Panther Lake laptops.
Apple will reportedly fast-track the M7 family, internally codenamed Andros, to focus on heavy AI workloads. The M7 base chip is expected to arrive in the first half of 2027 with memory bandwidth reaching 240 GB/s. This generation will reportedly be the first Apple Silicon family manufactured by Intel, utilizing the new 18A-P process node.
The higher-end M7 Pro and M7 Max chips will follow in late 2027, while the highest-end M7 Ultra is scheduled to launch in 2028 for the Mac Studio. Meanwhile, Apple is still testing the M5 Ultra with 36 CPU cores, 80 GPU cores, and up to 768 GB of unified memory for professional desktops. These high-end configurations are expected to target local AI workloads and professional content creators when they become available.
Source: Bloomberg
