Sources: Apple is taping out the M7 with NPU upgrades and plans an M7 Ultra with 1.5TB of RAM, and the M8 for 2028; new Pencils are coming with new iPad Pros
BloombergMark Gurman
Context & Ripple Effects
The related coverage traces Apple’s iPad Pro refresh cycle from the planned 2024 redesign—OLED displays, new keyboard hardware and a new chip—to an M4-based model positioned as part of its AI strategy, with Pencil updates alongside it.
This report extends that arc beyond the current iPad generation: Apple is reportedly advancing its next Mac-class silicon around upgraded neural processing while continuing to treat iPad Pro and Pencil releases as a coordinated hardware platform.
First-order effects
Apple’s chip roadmap would place more emphasis on NPU capability in the M7, while an M7 Ultra configuration with up to 1.5TB of RAM would target workloads that need far larger local memory pools.
New iPad Pros and Pencils would give Apple another opportunity to refresh the tablet’s performance and input-hardware story together.
Second-order effects
A more capable Apple NPU raises the importance of software that can use on-device AI acceleration, putting pressure on Apple’s developer tools and app ecosystem to turn silicon capability into visible product features.
An Ultra-tier system with exceptionally high memory capacity would further separate Apple’s highest-end hardware from its mainstream devices, concentrating advanced local workloads in premium configurations.
Third-order effects
If Apple sustains this cadence, neural-processing capability and memory capacity are likely to become more central differentiators in its silicon roadmap than CPU upgrades alone.
The iPad Pro line appears to be evolving through recurring combinations of custom silicon, display upgrades and accessory changes, reinforcing Apple’s strategy of selling a tightly integrated professional hardware stack.
The trend: Apple is increasingly aligning custom silicon, local AI acceleration and premium device accessories into a multi-year differentiation strategy across its high-end hardware.
M7 should be 18A-P according to early reports. Foundry opportunity claimed to be between $600-$700 million for Intel right now from this alone, given that the wafer ASP is on the trajectory it is right now. Of course, this is the initial phase, and it all depends on how Apple
The most interesting bit for Apple's future roadmap is that it is increasingly shaped increasingly making it a bit more : 1⃣Geopolitics: Supplier, Foundry Diversification, 2⃣Supply Chain: Memory & Foundry headwinds shaping its architecture, choice of packaging, etc [image]
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