The update schedule of Apple's high-level notebooks may be delayed. According to reports from multiple sources, the M5 MacBook Pro, which was originally expected to be launched this fall, will be postponed until 2026 before it will be officially...
The update schedule of Apple's high-level notebooks may be delayed. According to reports from multiple sources, the M5 MacBook Pro, which was originally expected to be launched this fall, will be postponed until 2026 before it will be officially unveiled. In addition to the change in the release schedule, the new MacBook Pro will also usher in a major upgrade in packaging technology, using Liquid Molding Compound (LMC) exclusively provided by Eternal Materials, laying the foundation for the comprehensive introduction of NTIE CoWoS technology in the future.
Post-launched launch, high-level M5 chip key
Apple's past few MacBook Pros have been updated in the fall, but Bloomberg reported that there may be no new products this year. The latest research by Tianfeng International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also pointed out that the high-level M5 processor will be used in the 2026 MacBook Pro, which means that the new products will not be announced as early as next year.
Kuo Mingchi pointed out that the standard version of the M5 chip is still expected to be available with the new iPad Pro this fall, but the MacBook Pro, which is equipped with Pro and Max versions of chips, will be postponed to 2026, indicating that high-level M5 may have additional design or strategy considerations.
LMC packaging is prepared for future CoWoS upgradeThis postponement is also related to the packaging technology conversion. The LMC of Changxing Materials complies with the strict specifications of TEK CoWoS. The technology is widely used in high-performance computing and AI accelerators, allowing multiple grains to be integrated into a single package in stacking or in-line manner to improve frequency width and computing density.
Although the 2026 M5 MacBook Pro will not immediately use full CoWoS, the introduction of compatible materials in advance will help to shift without sewage on M6 or even M7 chips in the future, and support higher performance and multi-chip architecture.
Before CoWoS is fully enabled, the LMC packaging itself can bring improved structural strength, optimized heat dissipation efficiency and improved manufacturing yield, which will be directly reflected in stability and energy efficiency performance under long-term operation.
Changxing Materials can defeat Japan's Namics and Nagase to obtain supply rights, showing the change in Apple's purchasing strategy of advanced chip materials, allowing Taiwanese suppliers to occupy a more important position in high-level Mac key components, and also improving Apple's flexibility in research and development and supply chain control.
If CoWoS or further CoPoS (Chip-on-Package-on-Substrate) is fully adopted in the future, Apple can create a larger and more complex processor, and when processing computing intensive work such as AI model training and high-level 3D drawings, the memory bandwidth and computing efficiency will be significantly improved.
The delay in launching the M5 MacBook Pro also means that Apple may launch an updated model equipped with M6 chips later in 2026, forming a "dual-band" new product strategy, further extending the product life cycle, and coordinating with the possibility of hardware such as new external displays and synchronous debut.
But for users planning to upgrade MacBook Pro, this means that waiting time will be longer than expected. However, if Apple is indeed based on LMC and CoWoS technology, the performance of high-level Macs in the future may be worth this waiting period.
