Apple appears to be well ahead of schedule with its next-generation tablet lineup, as reports indicate the company has already begun shortlisting suppliers for the upcoming M6 iPad Pro’s vapor chamber cooling system. This new component could be one of the most significant internal upgrades in years, addressing long-standing thermal concerns that affect performance and battery life in ultra-thin designs.
According to sources close to Apple’s manufacturing network, the company is currently in talks with two key suppliers – Suzhou Tianmai from China and Chi Hong from Taiwan – both known for their precision engineering in thermal management components. 
United Daily News reports that Suzhou Tianmai plans to phase out its production of graphite cooling sheets for Apple and instead shift focus entirely toward vapor chamber development. This suggests that the M6 iPad Pro will represent a decisive technological shift, positioning Apple’s tablets closer to the thermal efficiency of its MacBook line.
The vapor chamber cooling system works by spreading heat more efficiently across a broader surface area, allowing high-performance chips such as the M6 to operate at sustained speeds without throttling. For context, the current M5 iPad Pro relies on graphite sheets – a cheaper and thinner solution, but far less capable of handling the heat generated by the latest Apple Silicon processors. This limitation is one of the reasons the M5’s base model ships with a 9-core CPU instead of the 10-core chip found in the base MacBook Pro. With the M6 generation, that gap may finally disappear.
Apple’s product cycle suggests that the M6 iPad Pro is roughly 18 months away from launch, giving engineers ample time to perfect this advanced cooling system while maintaining the device’s signature slimness. Insiders believe the vapor chamber project has already reached the refinement phase, with prototypes undergoing thermal and endurance testing. If successful, this move could set a new standard for iPad performance, enabling desktop-class workloads without overheating.
The industry’s optimism doesn’t stop there. Analysts speculate that once Apple successfully integrates vapor chamber technology into the high-end iPad Pro line, it will gradually expand to more affordable models, potentially transforming the broader tablet market. For manufacturers in China and Taiwan, this could mean lucrative contracts and expanded partnerships as Apple diversifies its supply chain. Meanwhile, users can expect the M6 iPad Pro to deliver not only higher performance but also improved power efficiency and sustained peak output during demanding tasks like 4K editing or gaming.
Based on the rumor assessment scale – which rates this development at 70% probable – the evidence looks solid: source reliability 3/5, corroboration 3/5, technical feasibility 4/5, and timeline alignment 4/5. Considering Apple’s history of meticulous R&D and early-stage supplier engagement, this rumor sits on firm ground. The upcoming vapor chamber-equipped iPad Pro might just redefine what a high-performance tablet can achieve.
2 comments
if it gets same chip as macbook im SOLD
apple just discovering vapor chambers like its new tech 😂