IBM i 8.1 Lifecycle Alignment
IBM i 7.6 shipped April 2025; the next major release, IBM i 8.1 (internally referenced as IBM i Next), is projected for 2028 -- the same window analysts expect for Power12, and IBM has historically aligned major IBM i releases with new Power hardware generations.
IBM i 7.6 launched April 18, 2025. Independent tracking of IBM's roadmap projects the next major release -- referred to as IBM i 8.1, or "IBM i Next" -- for 2028, with IBM i 8.2 ("Next+1") projected for 2031 and a further release projected for 2034 with support extending to 2044.
IBM has historically timed major IBM i version releases to align with new Power hardware generations, since a new IBM i major release is typically the vehicle for exposing new hardware capabilities to the software layer. If that pattern holds, the projected 2028 window for IBM i 8.1 is a second, independent data point supporting the same rough 2027-2028 timing window analysts project for Power12 based on Power's own three-year cadence.
This is a cross-referenced pattern built from two independently tracked IBM release histories (Power hardware and IBM i software), not a confirmed joint announcement from IBM.
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Samsung Process Node & 2.5D Interposer Speculation
IBM is expected to use a mature Samsung process (5nm or 3nm class) for its post-Power11 chips rather than chasing the industry's bleeding-edge nodes -- a deliberate, stated strategy, not a limitation.
Three-Year Power Release Cadence
Power10 (2021) to Power11 (2025) is a four-year gap, but IBM's broader pattern -- and independent analysis -- points to a roughly three-year cadence going forward, putting a plausible Power12 window around 2027-2028.
AI Inference Continuity Signal
IBM has stated on the record that its Spyre-based AI acceleration strategy extends beyond Power11 -- the strongest single data point that Power12 inherits, and likely expands, on-chip and on-node AI inference.