Apple Set To Skip M6 Pro & M6 Max Chips Entirely, Will Only Launch Base M6 Option: Report

Apple has followed a predictable chip rollout pattern since the launch of its M-series silicon - a base chip first, followed by more powerful Pro and Max variants, and eventually a top-end Ultra chip for professional users. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, that pattern is about to break. Apple is reportedly preparing to launch a base M6 chip later this year, but has no plans to follow it with an M6 Pro, M6 Max or M6 Ultra at all.

Apple's break from its usual chip cadence

Gurman reported that Apple will release a standard M6 chip for entry-level Macs, including a refreshed 14-inch MacBook Pro, later this year. Unlike every M-series generation from M1 through M5, however, the company will not follow it with higher-end variants. Instead, Apple is expected to move directly to its M7 family of chips, skipping an entire high-end generation for the first time in its Apple Silicon history.

According to Gurman, the base M7 chip is expected to launch in the first half of 2027, with the M7 Pro and M7 Max following later that year. The M7 Ultra chip is then expected to arrive in 2028. Apple is still expected to round out its current lineup with an M5 Ultra chip later this year, likely as part of an updated Mac Studio.

Why is Apple making the switch?

Gurman attributed the shift squarely to AI. Writing in his Power On newsletter, he said Apple had been planning major upgrades to the Neural Engine for the M7 family and ultimately decided those improvements were significant enough to fast-track the next generation rather than complete the M6 lineup. "AI is no longer just another feature," Gurman wrote, adding that it is now shaping when and how Apple's chips ship.

The upcoming M7 Ultra chip is expected to deliver a major boost to on-device AI performance. Gurman has also reported that the chip could eventually power Apple Intelligence servers starting in 2029, extending Apple's AI ambitions beyond consumer devices and into its own data center infrastructure.

What does this mean for Mac buyers?

If the report holds, the M6 generation will be the first Apple Silicon family to launch without Pro, Max or Ultra variants, meaning users who typically wait for the higher-end M6 chips to upgrade their MacBook Pro or Mac Studio will instead have to wait for the M7 generation in 2027. For now, Apple's roadmap suggests the base M6 chip will arrive on schedule, with the more powerful chips arriving later, but as a new generation altogether.