24-inch iMac Rumored With Apple M6, Skips M5 Gen

Apple is reportedly preparing an iMac with a 24-inch display powered by its next-generation chip, the M6, with plans to skip the M5 generation. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says the updated all-in-one is nearing its debut and could arrive before the end of 2026.

Key takeaways

Apple is rumored to launch a new 24-inch iMac using the M6 chip.
The update would skip the M5 generation, moving from the current M4 directly to M6.
The iMac’s external design is expected to remain largely unchanged from the 2021 Apple Silicon refresh.
New color options are the main expected aesthetic change.
Launch timing is expected to be before the end of 2026.

M6 iMac is expected to arrive before end of 2026

The next 24-inch iMac update is expected to be a relatively focused hardware refresh centered on the processor. Gurman reports Apple is already close to presenting the new model, and the debut could land before the year wraps up in 2026.

After introducing the current iMac design in 2021 with the first Apple Silicon version (M1), Apple has updated the chip generation in later cycles. The rumor claims Apple would now take another leap—bypassing M5 and moving straight from M4 to M6.

Skipping one generation isn’t unprecedented for the iMac line. Gurman notes Apple previously moved from M1 to M3 by skipping M2, and the same pattern is reportedly being repeated with this next step.

Design likely stays the same, with new colors

Beyond the change in chip, the outside of the iMac is not expected to be reinvented. Gurman says Apple plans to keep the core look introduced in 2021, meaning the 24-inch form factor and the overall all-in-one layout should remain the same.

Instead of major hardware redesign, the most visible differences could be limited to additional color choices. The current chassis has been on the market for more than five years, but the report suggests Apple is not planning another redesign of the project at this time.