Following the release of its first in-house 5G modem with the iPhone 16e, rumors have suggested that Apple has been quietly preparing for a major leap forward in its MacBook lineup, one that could finally bring built-in cellular connectivity to its laptops. Internal Apple code seen by Macworld now reveals that the company has indeed been testing an unreleased MacBook Pro model with an M5 Pro chip and Apple’s first 5G modem.
The code, which also revealed the existence of a new Mac Pro with the M4 Ultra chip, now confirms that the company is at least experimenting with the idea of a MacBook with cellular connectivity. This Mac laptop found in the code is powered by the M5 Pro chip (codenamed t6050), which indicates the upcoming generation of MacBook Pro.
But the M5 Pro isn’t the most exciting thing about this discovery. The same code suggests that this could be the first Mac ever to include a “Centuari” chip, which is the codename for Apple’s 5G modem (also known as C1), introduced earlier this year with the iPhone 16e.
Built-in cellular has long been a feature in some Windows ultrabooks and the iPad, but Apple has resisted adding it to the Mac, reportedly due to design and battery life concerns. Now, with Apple controlling both the CPU and modem, the company could deliver a seamless, power-efficient solution for MacBook users and finally bring all-over wireless to the Mac.
A previous Bloomberg report revealed Apple’s plans to bring cellular connectivity to the Mac. At the time, Mark Gurman said that “cellular connections are unlikely to come to the Mac before 2026.” More recently, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that the first M5 Macs won’t arrive this year.
Of course, Apple’s plans may change since the evidence we’ve seen comes from internal code, which means unfinished products. Still, we now at least have evidence that built-in cellular connectivity is fianlly coming to the Mac.
Author: Filipe Esposito, Contributor
Filipe Espósito is a Brazilian journalist who has been covering tech for over 10 years, and has become known for publishing exclusive reports on Apple's plans – such as the launch of the first titanium Apple Watch. He has worked for 9to5Mac and also co-hosts the tech podcast “A Fonte” in Brazil.