Apple is making a notable detour in its chip development playbook. Rather than rolling out the full suite of high-end M6 processors, the company plans to channel its resources toward an AI-focused M7 chip line, effectively skipping the top-tier M6 variants that would typically power its most demanding machines.
What we know about the M6 and M7 roadmap
The M6 chip, codenamed “Komodo” internally, has been in development with a projected release window of late 2026 or early 2027. These chips were originally slated to refresh MacBook Pro models, potentially alongside upgrades like OLED displays and design overhauls. That timeline would have coincided neatly with the MacBook’s 20th anniversary.
Bloomberg’s reporting indicates that Apple is also developing the M7 line, internally known as “Borneo,” expected to debut in 2027.
Future chip configurations in this lineage may scale up to 256 CPU cores, according to reports from Bloomberg’s May 2025 coverage. For context, the current M4 Ultra tops out at 32 CPU cores.
