Apple is developing new iPad Pro models and a significantly redesigned entry-level MacBook Pro, both targeting a first-half 2027 release window, according to reporting by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, corroborated by sources at MacRumors and 9to5Mac. The hardware refreshes are expected to feature Apple’s next-generation M7 chip, built on a 2-nanometer manufacturing process, and will arrive as Apple continues to position its entire product lineup around on-device AI performance.
What Happened
Bloomberg reported on July 1, 2026 that Apple is currently testing four new iPad Pro models — two 11-inch and two 13-inch configurations — alongside a redesigned 14-inch MacBook Pro internally code-named K104. The reporting places both products in the first half of 2027, though Apple has not confirmed release dates or specifications publicly. Supply chain sources cited in the reports indicate that engineering validation testing is underway, a phase that typically places a product 9 to 12 months from mass production.
The chip strategy is central to both products. Apple plans to introduce the M6 chip this year in an updated MacBook Pro before following with the M7 — described as carrying specific AI optimizations absent from the M6 — in the first half of 2027. Both chips will use TSMC’s 2-nanometer process node, continuing Apple’s trend of being one of the earliest customers for leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing. The M7’s AI-specific enhancements are expected to be directly tied to Apple Intelligence, the company’s on-device AI platform that spans writing tools, image generation, and Siri integration.
iPad Pro Plans
The new iPad Pro models are not expected to bring significant design changes — the current OLED display and slim chassis introduced in the 2024 generation will reportedly continue. The focus is on internal upgrades: the M7 chip, improved thermal management including a tested vapor chamber cooling system that could enable sustained higher-performance workloads, and enhanced Apple Intelligence capabilities.
Apple will offer both an 11-inch and a 13-inch iPad Pro, consistent with the current lineup. The M7’s AI optimizations are expected to unlock new Apple Intelligence features unavailable on current M4-based iPads, potentially including real-time on-device processing for tasks that currently require cloud connectivity. For creative professionals and developers who use the iPad Pro as a primary computing device, this represents a meaningful performance step forward even in the absence of a design refresh.
MacBook Pro Redesign
The redesigned entry-level MacBook Pro is the more significant change in the 2027 lineup. The current entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro shares the same chassis design as the higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch Pro models, which Apple introduced in 2021 and has refreshed with newer chips since. The K104 redesign is described as adopting a new design direction that aligns with what Apple is preparing for touchscreen MacBook Pro models expected between late 2026 and early 2027.
A touchscreen MacBook Pro would represent one of Apple’s most significant Mac hardware changes in years, a feature the company has resisted for over a decade while rivals introduced touchscreen laptops. The entry-level MacBook Pro redesign appears to be part of a cohesive visual language shift across Apple’s professional laptop lineup — setting the design foundation now before the more headline-grabbing touchscreen model arrives. Pricing for the redesigned entry-level MacBook Pro is not yet confirmed in the reports, but current models start at $1,599.
Background and Context
Apple’s 2026 hardware focus has been dominated by the iPhone Fold and iPhone 18 Pro, both expected at the company’s fall event. Supply constraints are expected to make the iPhone Fold difficult to obtain at launch, with analyst Ming-Chi Kuo forecasting fewer than 1 million units in Q3 production. The 2027 Mac and iPad roadmap represents Apple’s effort to sustain momentum across its broader product lineup beyond the smartphone, extending its on-device AI narrative to computing form factors where longer upgrade cycles give each hardware generation more runway.
The competitive context is shifting. On the PC side, Microsoft’s Copilot+ initiative and the growing availability of Windows-based ARM chips from Qualcomm are increasingly able to match Apple Silicon on certain AI workload benchmarks. On the tablet side, Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event on July 22 in London will bring new foldable hardware and Galaxy AI improvements that further raise the baseline for what Android flagship devices offer. Apple’s M7 refresh for iPad Pro is partly a response to this competitive dynamic — maintaining a meaningful processing gap over Android alternatives that have been closing the distance with each generation.
Critical Perspectives
Not all analysts are convinced that incremental chip upgrades will be sufficient to reinvigorate iPad Pro sales, which have historically been constrained more by software limitations than hardware performance. The iPad Pro is already more powerful than most users’ needs require — successive M-chip generations have extended that gap further without significantly expanding what professionals can actually do with the device. Without meaningful changes to iPadOS’s multitasking capabilities or a more compelling productivity software story, even an M7 chip may struggle to drive upgrade cycles in a market that has plateaued.
On the MacBook Pro side, some observers have questioned whether a redesigned entry-level 14-inch model — arriving just as higher-end models with touchscreens capture most of the attention — will land with the impact Apple needs. The entry-level Pro is positioned between the MacBook Air and the high-end Pro models, a segment that faces pressure from both directions: the increasingly capable Air above on value, and the more powerful Pro above on performance. A redesign may be necessary to refresh the segment’s identity, but whether that alone drives meaningful growth is an open question.
What Comes Next
The M6 chip in a refreshed MacBook Pro is expected before the end of 2026, giving Apple a staggered chip launch strategy that lets the M7 arrive in 2027 with a clearly differentiated AI feature set. The 2027 iPad Pro and redesigned MacBook Pro are expected to be among the first products to run Apple Intelligence features requiring the M7’s specific optimizations. Between now and then, Apple’s attention — and the market’s — will be consumed by the iPhone Fold, iPhone 18 Pro, and whatever happens at the company’s fall 2026 event. The 2027 Mac and iPad refresh is a long-game move, positioning Apple’s non-phone hardware to carry the Apple Intelligence narrative into a new chip generation.
