Apple, according to Bloomberg, is preparing a new generation of Apple Silicon processors called M6. The first chip in the family is expected to arrive by the end of 2026 with several notable upgrades over M5.
One of the main changes could be a redesigned memory architecture. The base M5 offers up to 153 GB/s of unified memory bandwidth, while M6 is rumored to raise that figure to 200 GB/s. The extra bandwidth should be especially useful for on-device AI workloads, where rapid access to shared memory is becoming increasingly important.
M6 is also said to bring faster CPU cores, improved video encoding and decoding, and a revised graphics architecture. While the base M5 tops out at a 10-core GPU, Apple is reportedly testing M6 with 12 GPU cores. That could improve gaming, video rendering, and other GPU-heavy applications.
The most unusual part of the M6 generation may be the lineup rather than raw specifications. According to Mark Gurman, Apple could release only the standard M6 and skip Pro and Max variants. That would be a major departure from previous Apple Silicon generations, which have regularly expanded beyond the base chip. An M6 Ultra would also appear unlikely in that scenario.
The reason is reportedly that Apple considers the changes planned for M7 significant enough to bypass most of the M6 family. The base M7 is expected in the first half of 2027 and may bring a larger jump in local AI performance, with memory bandwidth rumored to reach 240 GB/s. M6 is currently being tested in an updated entry-level MacBook Pro, while its use in other devices remains uncertain.