Apple is developing a high-end iMac Pro with the M5 Max chip, according to information from internal software leaks. The discovery comes from kernel debug kit used by Apple engineers. These files list unreleased Apple hardware with internal identifiers, such as codenames and platform names, and may also include separate references that map platform identifiers to chip codenames and brand names.
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Secondary summaries and screenshots referring to the same internal code have also been released in the Chinese tech community in the past week, including posts on Weibo and BiliBili.
The software contains references to an iMac with the model number J833c running the H17C. The H17C is linked to the codename “Sotra C,” which is related to the expected brand name “M5 Max.” This suggests that an iMac with the M5 Max chip is in active testing. The software refers to a series of devices believed to be used exclusively for internal testing, such as iPad minis running tvOS and MacBooks with the A15 chip, so there’s a chance that the M5 Max iMac is only being used for testing.
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However, given that the M5 Max chip is expected to be unveiled next year and there have been rumors of a high-end “Pro” iMac being reintroduced for several years, it could be destined for release. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman believed that Apple was still “working on a larger-screen iMac aimed at the professional market” after the launch of the Apple silicon iMac, a rumor backed up by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In addition to the iMac reference, the kernel debug kit shows off several additional future Mac configurations. It lists 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro variants with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, a 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M6 chip, and 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with the M6 Pro and M6 Max chips.
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There are new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air models with the M5 chip, Mac mini models with the M5 and M5 Pro chips, and new Mac Studio models with the M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips. The leak also mentions a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, which is widely believed to be an all-new, lower-cost model.
