iPad Pro is about to 'take the lead' over MacBook again

Based on rumors, the M5 chip is expected to appear first on the iPad Pro before being brought to the MacBook Pro by Apple.

Multi-window multitasking feature on iPadOS 26. Photo: Digital Trends .

According to rumors, Apple is expected to launch the iPad Pro M5 later this year. If the information is correct, this will be the second time the next M chip series has been launched on the iPad. Meanwhile, Mac users may have to wait until next year to experience the M5 chip.

Originally designed for Mac computers, Apple has gradually brought M chips to compact devices like the iPad Pro and iPad Air. However, bringing M4 and M5 chips to iPads earlier than Macs shows that Apple is increasingly taking this tablet line seriously.

Why the M chip is important on the iPad Pro

According to 9to5Mac , the iPad Pro is no stranger to the M chip, but before the M4, every other generation appeared on Mac computers a few months before being brought to the iPad.

Although Apple doesn’t define it publicly, the “M” is generally considered to stand for Mac. The M1, M2, and M3 generations all debuted with Macs before appearing on iPads.

With the M4, the iPad Pro will get a new chip before the Mac for the first time. According to 9to5Mac 's sources, Apple will maintain this strategy with the M5 generation.

Last year, the iPad Pro was the only Apple device to use the M4 chip for six months. It was released in May 2024, half a year before the M4 Mac series was released.

This time, the above time may be shorter because according to rumors, iPad Pro M5 is expected to be on shelves in the fall, that is, from September to November.

According to Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman, the MacBook Pro M5 is expected to launch as early as 2026. That means the exclusive M5 chip time on the iPad Pro could be shorter, at least 2 months compared to its predecessor.

iPad Pro M4. Photo: Popular Science .

Looking more broadly, the iPad’s software platform has also undergone significant changes. As of iPadOS 18, the M4 chip has yet to reach its full potential as the software still has many limitations.

However, iPadOS 26 is considered one of the biggest software updates on iPad, helping the device take advantage of the full power of the hardware.

Not only the Liquid Glass interface, iPadOS 26 has many upgrades such as the window multitasking system, the completely new Files and Preview application for editing PDF files.

According to Apple, the window system on iPadOS 26 allows for “dynamic window resizing” and placement anywhere on the screen. Users can add windows to Stage Manager mode, drag and drop if using multiple screens.

The iPad has always been positioned between the iPhone and the Mac. Until recently, many people thought that the power of the iPad was enough to function as a real computer. With iPadOS 26, Apple chose to lean towards macOS by adding a menu bar that can be swiped down to reveal different options for the open app.

While the iPad Pro M5 is likely to be a minor upgrade, it could be the first iPad to truly take advantage of the software and hardware. Features like multi-window and multi-tasking will benefit from the new chip.

When will the MacBook Pro M5 come out?

In addition to the standard M5 version, Apple is expected to launch higher versions such as the M5 Pro and M5 Max. Of course, these models will appear on Mac computers.

In an article dated August 12, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that the MacBook Pro M5 is expected to launch in 2026. Of which, the M5 Pro and M5 Max versions will use a new molding and casting process.

MacBook Pro 16-inch M4 Pro. Photo: TechCrunch .

Called WMCM (Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module), this is TSMC's latest chip packaging technology. The design allows RAM to be integrated directly onto the wafer along with the CPU, GPU and Neural Engine, instead of being placed next to the chip and connected by a bridge or silicon substrate (silicon interposer).

In addition to the M5 Pro and M5 Max, the new technology is expected to be applied to the A20 chip of the iPhone 18. The above change can bring many benefits, such as faster Apple Intelligence, optimized battery life and temperature management. This also helps to shrink the A20, creating space for other components.

Previously, rumors said that the MacBook Pro M5 would launch in late 2025. However, Mark Gurman emphasized that Apple is considering postponing the device's launch date to 2026.

Source: https://znews.vn/apple-tiep-tuc-co-dong-thai-la-voi-ipad-pro-post1576857.html