MacBook Ultra: Launch delayed due to storage shortage Apfelpatient

Apple's major MacBook Pro redesign with an OLED display and touchscreen – already widely considered the MacBook Ultra – is experiencing a slight delay, according to Mark Gurman. The reason given is industry-wide shortages of RAM and SSD storage.

Many Mac users have been waiting for months for the next major notebook upgrade: the completely redesigned MacBook Ultra with an OLED display featuring Dynamic Island, touchscreen functionality, and the new M6 Pro and M6 Max chips. According to a new report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is now postponing the launch – not because of software issues, but because of the global memory chip crisis.

Previously, Gurman had indicated that the redesign would be released between late 2026 and early 2027. Many expected an announcement in October or November. Now he's correcting himself: The launch is likely to take place towards the end of this timeframe, meaning early 2027. He cites industry-wide shortages of RAM and SSD storage as the reason. The same issue affects Apple's upcoming Mac Studio update, which has also been delayed.

The software is not the problem

Gurman clarifies that this is not a software issue. The adjustments for the new touchscreen—including new context-sensitive menu controls and dynamically enlarged buttons in the system menu bar—will be completed as planned as part of macOS 27 this fall. However, the notebook itself cannot be shipped until sufficient components are available.

This fits the pattern emerging across the entire industry: The memory chip crisis is impacting the smartphone market, forcing Samsung to raise prices, and causing production bottlenecks even for Apple's premium products. Even Apple, with its long-term supply contracts, cannot completely escape the global shortage.

Positioning as a new high-end model

It will be interesting to see how Apple might position the new device. Gurman speculates that Apple could introduce the OLED model as a new high-end variant – at a higher price than the current MacBook Pros. The existing MacBook Pros would then continue to be sold alongside it.

This would explain why the name "MacBook Ultra" is circulating in the rumor mill. Such a strategy would have two advantages: It would distribute demand across two price segments, thus easing the tight supply of components. At the same time, Apple could achieve higher margins without raising the entry-level price of the MacBook Pro.

What the redesign brings

The new notebook is expected to bring a number of substantial innovations: an OLED display with Dynamic Island technology – a feature previously unique to Macs – as well as touchscreen functionality, which is supported system-wide in macOS 27. In addition, it will feature the new M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, which, according to Gurman, should offer significant performance improvements.

Counterpoint's analysis predicts that Apple's OLED notebook strategy will drive 33 percent growth in the OLED segment by 2026 – meaning the MacBook Ultra is the driver of an entire market segment, not just another Apple product.

What this means for buyers

Those waiting for the new MacBook Ultra will have to be patient a little longer. The delay of a few months isn't a major setback – and it could even mean that Apple will have enough units in stock at launch to meet demand, avoiding the months-long waits seen with the MacBook Neo. A launch in early 2027 remains ambitious, but realistic.

For a complete overview of all developments surrounding the MacBook Ultra, you'll find a continuously updated summary of all rumors here. (Image: Shutterstock / Dontree_M)