hello. This is Technologytodaynow. If your current MacBook is sufficiently powerful, it might be a good idea to wait for the M6 MacBook Pro, which is expected to be released in the second half of next year, rather than the M5 MacBook Pro, which is expected to be released this year.
M6 MacBook Pro, what changes will there be?
According to a Bloomberg report, the MacBook Pro model, which will be released in 2025, is expected to feature an M5 chip to improve performance, but a big change is expected to be made on the M6 MacBook Pro, which will be released in 2026. First, the display will be changed. On the first Apple Silicon MacBook Pro released in 2021, Apple had a mini-LED display on the MacBook Pro.
M6 MacBook Pro Display Changes
It was well-received because it had less blooming than the mini LED equipped in the Display XDR of the iPad and Pro, and from 2026, just like most of the latest high-end laptops are equipped with OLED displays, the MacBook will also be equipped with an OLED display. However, the burn-in phenomenon is still a concern.
This is an unavoidable problem. The problem is that the possibility of burn-in is greater on laptops with designated UIs such as the Dock bar or top bar than on smartphones or tablet PCs. It is expected that the two-stack tandem OLED equipped on the iPad Pro will also be equipped on the MacBook Pro, so the length of the burn-in has become an important issue.
Possibility of design reorganization
The second is about the re-opening of the design. The current MacBook Pro design is very rugged because it is made in an angled and thick shape, referring to the design from the past PowerBook era. I think it’s better in terms of performance because of the increased interior design space, but I personally think the previous design, which is more sophisticated, is better than the current design. According to Mark Gurman, Apple is currently trying to make the MacBook Pro thinner and lighter without sacrificing battery life or key skills.
Notch removal possibility
The third is the possibility of removing the notch. According to a recent report by market researcher Omdia, Apple could eliminate the notch and introduce a punch-hole front-facing camera to the MacBook Pro. This will improve visibility, but since the notch is still located at the top, I don’t think there will be much change in terms of usability for me personally.
However, one thing to look forward to is that paid apps that can take advantage of the iPhone’s dynamic island function in MacBook’s notch are quite good. I think it would be okay if Dynamic Island was applied to MacBooks while adopting the punchhole design.
Launch of Cellular Models
Lastly, it is the launch of cellular models. Apple’s self-developed modem, which was first introduced on the iPhone 16, is also expected to be installed on the iPhone 17 Air, which will be released in the second half of the year, and based on that, the cellular MacBook will also be launched. The modem to be installed on the MacBook is expected to be the second-generation C2.
And the M6 MacBook Pro that will be released in 2026 isn’t really that new. Expectations of redesigning with OLED displays have been consistent, and news of the first OLED MacBook launch in 2026 has been confirmed from various sources, so it seems highly likely. If you’re not too greedy, I think it’s a good choice to wait for the release of the full-change MacBook, as the M1 MacBook Pro still has enough performance.