Mark Gurman reports that Apple is changing its chip release strategy. The upcoming M6 chip series will not include Pro and Max variants, as the company aims to expedite the transition to the M7 series. Consequently, only the base M6 chip will be introduced in iPads and entry-level Macs.
Driven by the growing demand for AI-capable devices, Apple is revising its roadmap to facilitate a swift shift from the M6 to the AI-centric M7 series. The M7 chips are also expected to feature significantly upgraded GPUs.
The standard M7 chip is projected to launch in early 2027, followed by the M7 Pro and M7 Max by the end of that year. The Ultra version, typically twice as powerful as the Max, will debut in early 2028 alongside high-end Mac Studio models.
The M6 chips are not without their advancements. They promise substantial performance upgrades over the M5 series, with enhancements in memory architecture, increased memory bandwidth, faster CPUs, improved GPUs featuring up to 12 cores, superior video encoding and decoding, and an upgraded Neural Engine tailored for AI applications.
Furthermore, the M5 Ultra chip remains in development and has not been skipped; however, its release has been delayed due to supply chain and cost challenges.
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