Apple is rumored to have begun mass production of its next-generation M5 chip, with the processor expected to arrive in the company’s devices as soon as this year.
Per ET News, Apple began packaging the M5 chip last month. Packaging is the final step in semiconductor manufacturing after fabrication and involves the process of protecting the chip and enabling electrical connections with other devices or components.
Apple currently outsources the front-end manufacturing phase of fabricating chips on silicon wafers. After fabrication is underway, the packaging is being handled by OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) companies including Taiwan’s ASE Group, America’s Amkor, and China’s JCET. It’s rumored that ASE was the first to begin mass production, while Amkor and JCET are expected to follow sequentially.
The initial production run is rumored to be for the base M5 chip, as opposed to the more advanced M5 Pro, M5 Max, and M5 Ultra processors. The aforementioned companies are said to be currently investing in additional facilities to support the mass production of the high-end models. Per the M5 specs, the M5 series is expected to incorporate an enhanced ARM architecture as well as TSMC’s 3-nanometer process technology. Apple is thought to have passed up on the more advanced 2nm process for the M5 chip given cost considerations. The high-end version of the M5 is also thought to feature significant advancements over its M4 equivalents, mainly through the adoption of TSMC’s System on Integrated Chip (SoIC) technology. Other features include an updated 3D chip-stacking approach which vertically stacks the chips and enhances thermal management and reduces electrical leakage compared to traditional 2D designs. Apple is said to have expanded its cooperation with TSMC on the next-generation hybrid SoIC package, which also combines thermoplastic carbon fiber composite molding technology.
The first M5-based device is expected to be an updated iPad Pro, which Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said will enter mass production in the second half of 2026.
Given Apple’s typical upgrade cycles, here are the devices and anticipated release dates for the M5 models:
- iPad Pro: M5 chips could debut in the devices in late 2025 or early-to-mid 2026.
- MacBook Pro: Models featuring M5 series chips are anticipated in late 2025.
- MacBook Air: M5 variants will likely arrive in early 2026.
- Apple Vision Pro: An updated version of the headset incorporating the M5 chip is expected between the fall of 2025 and spring of 2026.
Finally, a series of references as to what are believed to be Apple’s M5 chip has already been discovered in official Apple code. It’s thought that given its dual-use SoIC design, Apple also plans to deploy the M5 chip within its AI server infrastructure to bolster AI capabilities across both consumer devices and cloud services.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.