Apple Reportedly Skipping M6 Mac Chips to Fast-Track M7

According to a new report from Bloomberg, Apple plans to skip the high-end versions of its upcoming M6 processor generation, and shift its focus toward an accelerated M7 family designed to handle heavy AI workloads.

Since the debut of Apple Silicon in 2020, the company has maintained a highly predictable release schedule. A standard base chip launches first for entry-level machines, followed months later by scaled-up Pro and Max variations for professional-grade hardware, and eventually an Ultra chip.

The standard M6 processor is still on track to debut later this year, likely powering a refreshed entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro. Internal testing reveals that the base M6 will feature a redesigned graphics processing unit with up to 12 cores, a step up from the 10-core limit found on the standard M5. t also bumps memory bandwidth up to 200 gigabytes per second, compared to the 153 gigabytes per second on the current generation.

However, users looking for serious professional power will have to wait longer than usual. Bloomberg reports that the company is taking this step to fast-track next-generation architectures originally scheduled for much later. By pivoting past the M6 Pro and Max tiers, Apple aims to launch the base M7 processor as early as the first half of 2027.

The M7 Pro and M7 Max are expected to follow in the later half of 2027, boasting up to 240 gigabytes per second of memory bandwidth. The top-tier M7 Ultra is currently mapped out for a 2028 release.

The primary driver behind this sudden roadmap adjustment is the intense industry pressure surrounding local AI computing. Competitors like Nvidia, Qualcomm, Intel, and AMD are rapidly advancing their consumer AI hardware pipelines.

Apple’s upcoming M7 generation is being engineered from the ground up around massive advancements in local, on-device AI processing and Siri intelligence capabilities.