Yes, exactly. Price hikes mid-cycle is not something I have seen Apple do historically.

If true, one reason could be that: Cook is retiring, while Ternus is on his way in. Ternus wouldn't wanna start off with his first announcement being a ginormous price hike. Makes him look bad.

So Cook becomes the fall guy. i.e., he increases the price by 15% in the existing M5 range.

When Ternus comes in, he keeps prices stable on the M6 range. Makes Ternus look like an awesome guy...and gets him off on a flying start in his CEO tenure.