Useless "AI-first" M7 chips instead. It looks like Apple has lost
interest in their professional users and is too busy chasing the
idiotic AI bandwagon. :-\


Apple will skip M6 Pro, Max chips in favor of M7 AI alternatives
----------------------------------------------------------------
Apple is rumored to skip M6 Pro and M6 Max Apple Silicon chips in
favor of new, AI-first M7 chips, according to a new report.

Apple is expected to launch its first M6 MacBook Pro laptops later
in 2026, but while there would normally be M6 Pro and M6 Max
variants, these chips are rumored to not see the light of day.

That's according to a Bloomberg report, which claims the
entry-level M6 chip will focus on improved memory bandwidth when
compared to the M5 it will replace.

The move not to launch an M6 Pro or M6 Max would be notable for
Apple. It would be the first time that it hasn't done so since the
move to Apple Silicon. It's unclear whether it will set a
precedent or be a one-off.


M6, coming in hot
If the report is correct, Apple will bump the M5's 153 gigabytes
per second memory bandwidth to 200 gigabytes per second with the
M6. It'll do that by bringing a new memory architecture to the
chip alongside an upgraded Neural Engine.

The same report notes that Apple has tested M6 chips with up to
12 GPU cores, an increase over the M5's 10-core GPU.

It's thought that the new M6 will be particularly performant when
handling AI, graphics, and related tasks.

However, while Apple isn't expected to launch an M6 Pro or M6 Max,
there are still plans for an M5 Ultra. This chip will have around
36 CPU cores and 80 GPU cores, and will be offered in the
Mac Studio.

Apple's current Mac Studio is available in two configurations: the
base model ships with an M4 Max (14-core CPU, 32-core GPU) while
the upgraded model uses an M3 Ultra (28-core CPU, 60-core GPU.)

Apple has never released an M4 Ultra chip.


M7 to follow
According to the report, the M7 will follow the M6 in "relatively
quick succession," rather than the usual year or longer timeframe.
It's thought Apple could debut the M7 as soon as the first half of
2027.

Following M7, Apple will also introduce M7 Pro, M7 Max, and M7 Ultra
versions for users who have more complex workflows. The Pro and Max
aren't expected until the end of 2027, while the M7 Ultra is on
track for 2028.

It's believed that the M7 line of chips will be designed to offer
notable improvements to on-device AI processing. An increase in
memory bandwidth to around 240 gigabytes per second is also thought
to be part of the equation.


Apple's reasoning
If this report is accurate, Apple's reasoning seems to be that the
AI smarts added to the M7 are vital. For that reason, it's willing
to skip the M6 Pro and Max chips and wait for the M7 versions
instead.

Whether that proves to be the best course of action remains to be
seen.

The extra AI performance will be welcomed by some. But a lot of
Ultra chip buyers are more interested in raw CPU and GPU performance
for high-res video editing, app building, and other creative
endeavors. Extra AI performance may not be as beneficial for those
users.



<https://appleinsider.com/articles/26/06/25/apple-will-skip-m6-pro-max-chips-in-favor-of-m7-ai-alternatives>






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