A leaker is backing up previous claims of how Apple is changing its processor designs to improve the speed of the M5 Max and M5 Pro, but also goes against all previous reports about when the next MacBook Pro will be released.

Despite strong expectation that the next MacBook Pro models will be released shortly, one leaker suggests these M5 Max and M5 Pro updates won't come until March. Leaker Fixed Focus Digital has a mixed track record, but he or she has had some success, such as with the naming of the iPhone 16e.

This time, their leak concerns the use of foundry TSMC's SolC manufacturing. It's an advanced packaging design that means Apple moving away from having both the CPU and GPU on the same chip.

Fixed Focus Digital says that these versions of the M5 are now expected to use this advanced packaging. Specifically, it's to help with heat dissipation, and should also increase performance.

While the leak also specifies that these versions of the M5 will be released in March, it does not expressly say that they will be in a MacBook Pro. Conceivably, they could be in a New Mac Pro or perhaps Mac Studio.

But it's most likely to be the MacBook Pro since that refresh is imminent, and these new processors will be the chief upgrade. Then, too, the previous reports about advanced packaging designs have been about the MacBook Pro.

So in all probability, this leak concerns the MacBook Pro and the question mark over it is only about the March release date.

The expectation has most recently been that the new models will be released during February, and MacRumors reports that independent Apple resellers are running out of stock. However, AppleInsider research into this both following and prior to that report shows mixed results, with no consistent decline in availability across the board.

The two-month delay in most configure-to-order models on the online Apple store are still about two months out. But, this hasn't been a good indication, since they've been two months consistently, since October 2025.

It has been reported that Apple plans a second MacBook Pro update later in 2026, which would bring an OLED screen and an M6 processor. That's not expected until late in 2026, but recent reports have said that it is now nearing mass production.

No other leaker has reported a March release date for the next MacBook Pro. But then Fixed Focus Digital is also among the very few insisting that there will be an iPhone Air 2 in 2026.

It's possible that this leaker has better sources for Apple plans than his or her rivals, but that has yet to be shown in a decent track record.