Apple pushes M7‑chip Macs forward, trims iPhone 17 output and raises MacBook/iPad prices

Apple is reshaping its hardware roadmap. Bloomberg reports that the 2027 iPad Pro models will feature a new Apple Silicon chip (M6 or M7) built on a 2 nm process and may adopt a vapor‑chamber cooling system to improve AI performance and sustained workload capability.

The company is also cutting iPhone 17 production by up to 33 % on selected assembly lines because memory component costs have surged, a move that could presage softer sales ahead of the 2027 iPhone 18 launch.

The forthcoming iPhone 18 Pro series will use an A20 Pro chip with six‑channel LPDDR6 memory and a new wafer‑level multi‑chip module package, aiming to lift AI‑related processing speed.

Apple has announced price hikes of roughly 20 % for many MacBook and iPad models in Italy, attributing the increase to higher memory and storage component costs driven by AI data‑center demand.

Meanwhile, consumer‑focused pricing shifts are visible on Amazon, where the iPhone 16 and the budget‑oriented iPhone 17e have fallen to historic lows.

In the open‑source arena, Linux developers have submitted device‑tree patches to add support for Apple’s M3 Pro, Max and Ultra silicon, extending compatibility beyond the already‑supported base M3.

Strategically, Apple appears to skip the anticipated M6 Pro/Max/Ultra chips, opting to launch a new line of M7‑powered Macs—including redesigned MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac Studio—featuring 2 nm AI‑optimized silicon, higher memory bandwidth, OLED displays and, in some reports, touch and 5G capabilities.