Report: Apple launching updated iMac with M6 chip and new colors later this year
Apple is preparing a refreshed iMac with the M6 chip and new color options for release before the end of 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Intelligence analysis by Llama
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports Apple is preparing a new iMac with the M6 chip and updated color options, ending a roughly two-year refresh gap. The M6 will be Apple's first Mac chip on a 2nm process, though no M6 Pro, Max, or Ultra variants are expected.
Apple is making a new version of its big desktop computer called the iMac, and it'll have a faster brain chip called the M6. It's been a long time since the last one, and the new model will come in some fresh colors before the end of the year.
Analysis
2nm process and the absent M6 Pro, Max, and Ultra
The M6 chip that will power the refreshed iMac will be Apple's first Mac silicon built on a 2nm process, according to the article's reporting on Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. That manufacturing step typically delivers denser transistor packing and improved efficiency per watt compared with the 3nm node that underpinned the M3 and M4 families. Notably, the article says there reportedly will not be an M6 Pro, M6 Max, or M6 Ultra, with Apple instead accelerating the launch of the M7 family. The pattern hints that Apple is treating the M6 generation as a narrower, mainstream-focused rollout rather than a uniform jump across the entire chip stack.
Two years without an iMac refresh and M2, M5 skips
The iMac has gone roughly two years without a chip update, having skipped both the M2 and M5 families entirely, per the article. Apple still offers no larger display option for the all-in-one, continuing to direct high-end users toward a Mac Studio or Mac mini paired with a Studio Display instead. The M4 refresh in 2024 only tweaked existing color shades without changing the count of seven available options, and the M6 version will reportedly bring "some new color options" of unspecified nature. The cycle points to Apple positioning the iMac as a steady, infrequent consumer desktop rather than a high-velocity flagship that competes directly with its pro hardware.
Tandem OLED MacBook Pro sharing the fall stage with the M6 iMac
The article frames the upcoming season as potentially major for the Mac, listing overhauled MacBook Pro models with touchscreens and Tandem OLED displays, a new base 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6, M5 Max and M5 Ultra Mac Studios dependent on supply availability, and the new M6 iMac. A refreshed Mac mini with M6 and M5 Pro is mentioned as another possibility that will likely arrive later. For Apple, this represents a coordinated refresh across most of the Mac range, with the iMac serving as the consumer-facing anchor while the MacBook Pro and Mac Studio carry the pro-tier introductions. The fact that M5 Max and M5 Ultra Mac Studios are flagged as supply-constrained underscores how chip availability, not just product design, is shaping Apple's rollout timing across the lineup.
Key points
- Apple is preparing a refreshed iMac with the M6 chip and new color options for release before the end of 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman
- The iMac skipped the M2 and M5 chip generations, making this its first update in roughly two years
- The M6 will be Apple's first Mac chip built on a 2nm process
- Apple reportedly plans no M6 Pro, M6 Max, or M6 Ultra variants and is accelerating the launch of the M7 family instead
- The fall Mac lineup is also expected to include overhauled MacBook Pros with touchscreens and Tandem OLED, plus M5 Max and M5 Ultra Mac Studios
The move to a 2nm process on the M6 could deliver meaningful gains in performance and power efficiency over the M4 generation, giving the iMac a notable spec bump after its long hiatus. A coordinated fall lineup that also includes overhauled MacBook Pros and refreshed Mac Studios signals Apple is investing broadly in the Mac category, which could lift overall Mac revenue if supply keeps pace with demand.
The absence of any M6 Pro, Max, or Ultra variants means pro-oriented iMac users will not get a higher-tier silicon option this cycle and may need to wait for the accelerated M7 family. The article's flagging of M5 Max and M5 Ultra Mac Studios as supply-dependent suggests chip availability remains a risk that could constrain iMac launch quantities or push ship dates.
