The introduction of the Mac Studio M5 and the Mac mini M5 was considered set for this spring in view of the increasing supply shortage, but also due to Apple’s usual processes. Since Apple usually acts quite predictably in both respects, a presentation could be expected in March or April – and the company allegedly initially pursued exactly these plans. However, it now looks more and more like the current upheavals in the market, especially with regard to the shortage of memory, are shaking things up. If you look at some of the statements from the recent press conference, announcements before autumn 2026 seem increasingly unlikely. Basic iPad? Parekh’s statement points to autumn
In the forecast for performance in the current quarter, CFO Parekh noted that it was difficult to compare the iPad division with the previous year – because at that time the iPad with A16 had only just been brought onto the market (March 2025). Conversely, this probably means not planning an update in the first half of the year this year, otherwise such a comparison would certainly be possible. A new entry-level iPad with A19 and support from Apple Intelligence is now considered overdue in the industry, but we will probably have to wait until autumn.
Macs: All pending M5 updates probably later
In the Mac sector, Cook and Parekh emphasized several times how badly the company was affected by delivery restrictions and how difficult it was to meet demand. For months, most Macs will be “short in supply” – i.e. affected by a noticeable shortage.
This makes an imminent switch to new M5 models for Mac mini, Mac Studio or iMac less likely. Apple has also just canceled the basic version of the Mac mini M4, which would probably not have happened if they wanted to compete with the M5 models soon anyway.
Bloomberg on Mac Studio and MacBook Pro/Ultra
Bloomberg also recently reported that Apple had to significantly adjust the roadmap, which is why the Mac Studio M5 would not be released before October. The same applies to the MacBook Pro with touch, which could come onto the market as a MacBook Ultra. Instead of autumn 2026, Apple is now targeting spring 2027.
