Apple’s next MacBook Pro and Mac Studio face delays as chip shortage disrupts timeline

Explore with AI:

Apple’s next wave of Mac hardware is slipping, and the reason is familiar. A global memory chip shortage is now pushing back both the next Mac Studio and a redesigned MacBook Pro with a touch screen, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.

The shift changes what was shaping up to be a steady upgrade cycle into a staggered rollout that now stretches into 2027.

Mac Studio now expected in October instead of mid-2026

Apple originally planned to refresh the Mac Studio around mid-2026, likely aligning with WWDC. That timeline no longer holds.

Gurman now reports that internal expectations point to a release around October. The delay is tied directly to supply constraints, which are affecting Apple’s ability to ship new hardware at scale.

The update itself is expected to be straightforward. The new Mac Studio will likely move to M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips, addressing the current lineup’s mismatch between M4 Max and M3 Ultra. No major design changes are expected.

This makes the delay more noticeable. The update is largely about performance, not a redesign, yet even that is being held back.

Touchscreen MacBook Pro shifts closer to early 2027

The bigger story sits with the MacBook Pro. Apple is working on a more ambitious refresh here, and that timeline is also moving.

Gurman has consistently reported that a touchscreen MacBook Pro is planned between late 2026 and early 2027. With the ongoing shortage, the later end of that window is now more likely.

That pushes the launch closer to early 2027.

The upgrade is not minor. Apple is expected to introduce M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, shift to an OLED display, and redesign the chassis to be thinner. The company is also said to be adding a Dynamic Island and exploring a new “MacBook Ultra” branding.

On the software side, macOS 27 is expected to include a more touch-friendly interface to support the new hardware direction.

A delay that exposes how dependent hardware cycles are on supply

Apple’s roadmap here is clear. The Mac Studio update fills a performance gap in the current lineup. The MacBook Pro redesign signals a bigger shift in how Macs are used, especially with touch entering the picture.

What changes is the timing. Even for a company with tight control over its hardware and software stack, supply chain constraints still dictate when products actually ship. In this case, a component-level shortage is enough to push a major redesign into the next year.

If the current timeline holds, Apple’s Mac lineup will update in two stages. Mac Studio arrives first around October, followed by the redesigned MacBook Pro in early 2027.

That gap stretches the upgrade cycle, but it also makes the MacBook Pro refresh feel more like a generational shift than a routine update.

Explore with AI: