Apple has begun the mass production of its M5 chip, which is set to power next-generation products, including the upcoming Mac series and iPad. Coinciding with long-standing reports, the Cupertino-based tech brand is establishing a new node process for packaging the semiconductor. The technology is intended to provide improved AI performance on the devices it powers, according to ETnews.
Industry sources told the Korean publication that Apple began packaging the M5 chip last month. Taiwan’s TSMC began the initial production of the M5 chip circuit using its 3nm process (N3P). The technology is expected to improve the power efficiency of the M5 chip by between 5% and 10%, and performance by 5% in comparison to the previous M4 chip, which will aid in improving AI performance on upcoming Mac and iPad models.
Apple is known to be releasing a series of M5 chips, including the M5, M5 Pro, M5 Max, and M5 Ultra, each with its own performance and application levels.
Other companies assisting in packaging the M5 chip series are ASE in Taiwan, Amkor in the U.S., and JCET in China. The additional outsourcing suppliers are preparing to need extra facilities to expand the mass production of the high-end chips, including Pro, Max, and Ultra, ETnews detailed.
“Orders for equipment to expand the mass production volume of the M5 are continuously being made,” an industry insider told the publication.
“As it has begun full-scale production, it will be installed in Apple devices that will be released in the future,” they added.
Previous rumors suggested that Apple’s M5 launch might be lackluster, but that was before the brand made its intent in the AI market apparent. Notable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in December 2024 that the earliest M5 models should begin mass production during the first and second quarter of 2025, while the M5 Ultra would likely begin mass production in 2026. He added that higher-end chips would be “better suited for AI inferencing.”
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.
Two new highly requested iCloud plugins just got added to ChatGPT, giving people who rely on Apple’s Mail and Calendar services a way to search emails, check appointments, and manage their schedules directly through the chatbot.
The integration is rolling out to all ChatGPT plans, including the free tier. You can access it on the web, desktop, and iOS.