Apple is expected to launch an M5 MacBook Pro by spring 2026, with M6 models, designed to encourage upgrades by users of older Macs, expected in late 2026 or early 2027.
Wesley Hilliard for AppleInsider:
According to Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter from Bloomberg, Apple will need to focus on other aspects beyond performance upgrades to entice its expanding customer base to bother upgrading.
He argues that the M-series processor is just too good and customers just don’t bother with upgrading regularly due to the longevity of the chipset. In the Intel days, users would upgrade frequently, sometimes even every generation.
Today, the M1 processor is still powerful enough for such a large segment of the user base that even as the M5 is on the horizon, there’s basically no reason to upgrade for some. So, a flashy redesign with several significant spec changes is expected…
[T]he M6 MacBook Pro could have a full redesign. The case could get thinner, OLED would take over from mini-LED, and M6 could also be a significant leap in processing.
MacDailyNews Take: Also rumored for the M6 version: the removal of the awful notch on MacBook Pro!
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The list of items that this may get is extensive, including using Face ID.
We really don’t have enough info at this stage to know what is intended. Still just rumors.
I will add, I have an Intel i9 27″ Mac, that also still does everything I need it to do. No real need to upgrade. I will get 2 more years of security updates before this actually becomes an issue.
These are built to go the distance, so I can wait and see what is really released and make a final decision then. IF they do release a beast of a MBP, with the latest bells and whistles, that will be worth purchasing.
Just give me a freaking 32″ iMac already and I will buy 3 dozen of them for my dept.!
Do yourself a favor and get Mac Studios for the people who need the most power, and MacBook Pros for the lightweight users & road warriors. Let all your people choose the display(s) they want, it will save money in the long run versus any all-in-one.
The latest generations of iMacs have been oversized laptops, which means its power is thermally constrained. With M chips that problem has been improved but it’s still a realistic concern for heavy users, which is precisely why the Mac Studio and Mac Pro exist. They have enormously more capable sustained performance.
Current iMacs are weak desktops only optimal for kiosks and lightweight work. When one component fails, you have to replace both screen and CPU. There won’t be another iMac Pro anytime soon because the Studio is a better solution. If you don’t like the pricey Apple-branded LG displays, no problem. Get any display you want. Maybe an LG 49WL95C is what you need.
Apple would sell a load of 32s but I think the real sweet spot, sales-wise, would be a 27, as long as a high end screamer was available in either size with lots of grunt (aim at something in addition to the bottom end home market). Another wish is to get rid of the gigantic “chin” on the new iMacs – mimic the design of the 27″ Studio Display.