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New Delhi: Apple is already preparing its next big hardware leap, and this time the iPad Pro could inherit a cooling feature currently found in the iPhone 17 Pro models. The upcoming M6-powered iPad Pro, expected to launch in Spring 2027, is reportedly being tested with a vapour chamber cooling system, a technology designed to keep high-performance chips from overheating during heavy use. This information comes from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who notes that Apple is exploring ways to improve the iPad’s thermal stability as it moves toward more powerful chipsets based on next-generation technology.
The rumor arrives shortly after the launch of the M5 iPad Pro lineup, setting the stage for what could be one of Apple’s biggest internal redesigns for its tablets. With the M6 chip expected to be built using TSMC’s advanced 2nm process, thermal management will become a critical part of maintaining performance during tasks like video editing, AI processing or extended gaming sessions.
The vapour chamber is not new in the smartphone world. It is already used in the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max to prevent heat buildup from the A19 Pro chip. The system relies on a vacuum-sealed metal enclosure containing a small quantity of water. As the chip generates heat, the liquid turns to vapour, absorbing the heat and moving it away from the processor. When the vapour touches the cooler walls of the chamber, it condenses back to liquid and repeats the cycle.
This continuous cooling allows the chip to run at peak speeds without throttling performance. According to reports, Apple sees value in bringing the same technology to the iPad Pro lineup as the next step in supporting more advanced apps and features.
The iPad Pro has become a platform for professional-level computing, competing with laptops in creative fields. As Apple pushes the limits of its custom silicon with the M6 chip, managing heat becomes a direct factor in overall performance and battery life.
Even though tablets have larger surface areas compared to phones, making it easier to disperse heat, Bloomberg notes that the new chip will be more powerful than previous generations and could demand better cooling to maintain sustained performance.
Apple already deployed the vapour chamber design in the iPhone 17 Pro series to offset heat from the A19 Pro processor and its advanced neural engine. The iPhone uses the feature to ensure that performance remains stable when running console-grade games or recording high-resolution video. In the iPad Pro, the same system could be scaled up to support long-duration workloads without overheating.
Industry watchers believe that bringing vapour cooling to the iPad is part of Apple’s broader preparation for intensive AI tasks. The company is expected to add more on-device AI capabilities in the coming years, which would place additional thermal pressure on the M6 chip.
Apple is following an 18-month refresh cycle for the iPad Pro lineup. Since the M5 models were just introduced, the M6 iPad Pro is likely to arrive in the first half of 2027. That gives Apple enough time to finalise the design, test the vapour chamber and prepare software optimisations for the new hardware.
