Apple is reportedly deliberately leaving the M6 generation incomplete: A regular M6 is coming, while the high-performance Pro, Max, and Ultra variants are being dropped without replacement. According to a new report, the reason for this lies not in the manufacturing process, but in the Neural Engine. This means that, for the first time, AI performance is determining which chips Apple will even complete development.
That Apple wouldn't fully expand the M6 series was already apparent: The MacBook Pro redesign expected this fall is slated to launch with the already familiar M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, while the redesigned entry-level model is expected to follow with an M7 chip only in early 2027. The crucial question remained: why? Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman provides the explanation in his latest Power-On newsletter – outlining a chip roadmap that extends to 2028 and culminates in the data center.
Why the Neural Engine was the deciding factor
According to Gurman, Apple had planned major improvements to the neural processing unit for the M7 family. These upgrades were reportedly considered so significant internally that the company preferred to accelerate the next generation rather than complete the M6 series. An M6 Pro, an M6 Max, and an M6 Ultra simply no longer exist in this plan.
This is a remarkable break with previous logic. Until now, Apple's chip generations ran as closed families: a base chip, then Pro and Max, and finally the Ultra variant for top-of-the-line desktops. Gurman clearly articulates the shift: AI is no longer just another feature that Apple's chips need to support, but now shapes how these products are designed and when they are released.
The timetable until 2028
The report provides a continuous timeline that connects two already released chips with upcoming generations:
| Chip | Period |
|---|---|
| M5 | October 2025 (published) |
| M5 Pro and M5 Max | March 2026 (published) |
| M5 Ultra | End of 2026 |
| M6 | End of 2026 |
| M7 | first half of 2027 |
| M7 Pro and M7 Max | second half of 2027 |
| M7 Ultra | 2028 |
The M5 Ultra would thus remain the final iteration of the current generation. It is still expected to appear in the Mac Studio, which is slated for a market launch towards the end of the year. The regular M6 is expected to debut concurrently in a new 14-inch MacBook Pro.
A year and a half without a new Pro chip
If you calculate the timeline, the real consequence becomes clear. The current M5 Pro and M5 Max chips were released in March 2026. Should their successors actually not arrive until the second half of 2027, there would be a gap of roughly a year and a half during which nothing would change at the top of the mobile Mac performance market. For Apple Silicon, that's an unusually long pause in a segment that has typically seen annual updates.
For anyone currently considering a MacBook Pro with a Pro or Max chip, this reverses the usual waiting logic: A device purchased now would remain up-to-date for significantly longer than usual. However, the price level must be taken into account – Apple has recently raised prices for Macs, iPads, and other products considerably, driven by the global memory chip crisis.
When the base chip outperforms the top-of-the-line model
Within the MacBook lineup, this plan leads to a configuration that has never existed before. The premium model, rumored to be the MacBook Ultra, with an OLED display and touchscreen, is expected to launch with the M5 Pro and M5 Max – that is, with current-generation chips. The significantly cheaper 14-inch MacBook Pro, on the other hand, would get the newer M6.
This would mean that the most expensive notebook would use the older chip generation, while the entry-level model would be a step ahead. The leap forward would then no longer be in the price, but in the timeline: anyone wanting the most powerful combination of new design and new chip architecture would have to wait for the M7 generation.
The M7 Ultra is designed to reach all the way to data centers
The announcement goes furthest with the M7 Ultra, expected in 2028. According to Gurman, it will drastically increase AI performance – and potentially power Apple's servers for Apple Intelligence from 2029 onwards. This would make a Mac chip, for the first time, a key pillar of Apple's own AI infrastructure.
This should be interpreted with caution: 2029 is three years away, and Apple's server plans have been delayed several times in the past. Nevertheless, this point is significant as an indicator, because it explains why the M7 series apparently has priority internally. A chip that is also intended to run in data centers justifies a development effort that a purely notebook generation cannot justify.
Apple's chip plan now follows AI
The real news isn't about the canceled chips, but about the shift in priorities. Until now, product cycles dictated when each chip had to be ready. If the report is confirmed, the situation would be reversed: the AI roadmap would set the pace, and Macs would follow suit – even at the cost of a generation that never quite reaches its full potential. (Image: Shutterstock / Dimitris66)
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