Apple prepares iPad Pro with 2nm M6 chip and its own next-generation 5G modem
By ForGeeks Apple has already started working on plans for the iPad Pro, which will be the most technologically advanced tablet in the brand’s history. According to Bloomberg, the model will launch in 2027 with Apple’s latest 2nm M6 processor and a second-generation 5G modem built in. It will be the company’s first tablet without Qualcomm chips – and a possible breakthrough in Apple’s mobile independence.
Ahead of the M5, but eyes are already on the M6
Although Apple hasn’t yet begun mass production of the M5 processor — it will be used in the next-generation iPad Pro, slated for late 2024 or early 2025 — there are already active discussions inside the company about a model with the next-generation M6 chip. The M5 will be based on TSMC’s 3nm (N3P) process, while the M6 will be the first 2nm chip in Apple’s device lineup. This promises both a dramatic leap in performance and improved power efficiency.
C2: Apple abandons Qualcomm in iPad
Today, all cellular-enabled iPads use Qualcomm Snapdragon modems, but that could change in 2027. The iPad Pro model with the M6 chip will be the first Apple tablet to feature the company’s second proprietary 5G modem, the C2. It should either catch up with Qualcomm’s connectivity or match it.
Apple’s first modem, the C1, debuted in the iPhone 16e, and its results will be important in assessing the potential of the C2. If the C2 does prove successful, it will mark Apple’s eventual move to its own radio chips, including tablets and possibly future laptops.
Apple’s first modem, the C2, will be an important part of the company’s strategy.
When to wait for the 2nm iPad Pro?”
According to Mark Gurman, Apple plans to release the iPad Pro with the M6 in the first half of 2027, presumably in the spring. It would be a logical continuation of the current lineup: the previous iPad Pro model with the M4 chip and OLED display came out in May 2024. It not only got a new screen, but also one of the thinnest designs in Apple’s tablet history.
The eighth-generation iPad Pro with the M5 chip is likely to be available in 2025 or early 2026 – before being replaced by the long-awaited M6 version a year or two later.
An eighth-generation iPad Pro with the M5 chip is likely to be available in 2025 or early 2026.
Should I wait for the M6 or get the M5?
While the M5 promises notable acceleration and improvements in power efficiency, Apple doesn’t seem intent on dramatically changing device design – especially after the move to OLED and the M4’s reduced thickness. The 2nm M6, on the other hand, should be truly revolutionary, with faster performance, noticeably improved battery life, and possibly even more AI capabilities at the device level.
The M5 promises more performance, noticeably improved battery life, and possibly even more AI capabilities at the device level.
For those looking for a long-term purchase with an eye on the future, it makes sense to wait until 2027. Especially since this model could be the first time Apple combines the most powerful ARM chip, its own 5G modem, and likely improved AI algorithms right on the device.
And it’s the first time Apple has combined a powerful ARM chip, a proprietary 5G modem, and likely improved AI algorithms right on the device.
