According to a Bloomberg report on June 25, Apple is significantly revising its Apple Silicon chip roadmap: the base M6 is still on track for launch by the end of 2026, but the higher-end M6 Pro and M6 Max will be completely canceled for this generation. The next milestone for high-end Macs will directly jump to the M7 series, with the M7 Pro and M7 Max scheduled for the end of 2027.
Apple Skips M6 Pro and M6 Max, M7 Pro/Max Scheduled for End of 2027
According to Bloomberg, Apple made this decision to concentrate R&D resources and foundry capacity on the M7 series chips tailored for AI workloads. The current Apple Silicon roadmap is as follows:
End of 2026: M5 Ultra (Mac Studio, up to 36 CPU cores, 80 GPU cores, supporting 768GB memory) and M6 base version (entry-level MacBook Pro, Mac mini, iMac, iPad Pro/Air).
First half of 2027: M7 base version, entry-level products focused on on-device AI.
End of 2027: M7 Pro and M7 Max, high-end MacBook Pro and high-end Mac mini return.
2028: M7 Ultra, powering top-tier Mac Studio and Mac Pro.
M6 Base Expected to Use 2nm Process, M7 Base Expected to Reach 240GB/s
Bloomberg reports that the M6 base version is highly likely to be Apple's first chip using the 2nm process, and will feature an updated memory architecture, an upgraded Neural Engine, and a redesigned GPU with up to 12 cores, with base memory bandwidth expected to increase to 200GB/s.
The core positioning of the M7 generation is on-device AI and GPU-intensive software; the memory bandwidth of the M7 base version is expected to reach 240GB/s, an increase of over 56% compared to the M5 base's 153GB/s, to support the operation of local large language models (LLMs).
Rumored MacBook Ultra with OLED Screen and Touch Functionality
Earlier market rumors suggested Apple might launch a high-end "MacBook Ultra" model with an OLED screen and touch functionality by the end of 2026. Since the M7 Pro and M7 Max have been delayed to the end of 2027, the launch timeline for the MacBook Ultra will directly depend on the final release date of the M7 Pro/Max. Whether it will use the M5 Max or the base M6 as a transitional solution has not been publicly disclosed. Apple has previously raised prices across its MacBook and iPad lineup due to soaring AI memory costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Apple cancel the M6 Pro and M6 Max?
According to a Bloomberg report on June 25, 2026, Apple decided to concentrate R&D resources and foundry capacity on the M7 series chips designed for AI workloads, thus skipping the M6 Pro and M6 Max. This is the first time Apple has seen a gap in its high-end chips within a single generation since transitioning to Apple Silicon.
What are the main technical differences between the M6 base and M7 base?
According to Bloomberg, the M6 base is expected to use the 2nm process with a memory bandwidth of 200GB/s, making it Apple's anticipated first chip with the 2nm process; the M7 base's memory bandwidth is expected to further increase to 240GB/s (the M5 base has 153GB/s), with optimization primarily targeting on-device AI and GPU-intensive applications.
What is the current estimated timeline for Apple Silicon?
According to Bloomberg: End of 2026 – M5 Ultra (Mac Studio) and M6 base (entry-level Mac/iPad); First half of 2027 – M7 base (focused on on-device AI); End of 2027 – M7 Pro and M7 Max (high-end Mac); 2028 – M7 Ultra (top-tier Mac Studio/Mac Pro).
