If you’ve been waiting for Apple’s next big MacBook Pro refresh, the timeline is starting to come into focus.
In a small snippet from Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman suggests that new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are tied to the macOS 26.3 release cycle, which could mean they’re arriving sooner than the usual spring window.
macOS 26.3 could be the key clue
The interesting part here is the timing. Gurman writes that: “A new MacBook Pro is planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle.”
That’s not a full confirmation, but it lines up with what other reports have hinted at for months. And it matters because macOS 26.3 is expected to roll out in the coming weeks.
Typically, Apple’s spring hardware launches tend to show up closer to the x.4 software cycle, which usually lands in March or April. So if the MacBook Pro is tied to 26.3 instead, it may point to an earlier debut.
Right now, February is starting to look like the most likely window.
Of course, Apple won’t give us a real release date until the announcement actually happens, but this is another solid datapoint suggesting the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pros could land before spring officially kicks off.
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After that, Apple’s larger spring product wave is expected to follow, with devices like the iPhone 17e, M5 MacBook Air, new iPads, and possibly a refreshed Studio Display also on the roadmap.
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For MacBook Pro buyers, the takeaway is simple: you might not have to wait much longer.
