IBM i 8.1 Lifecycle Alignment
IBM i 7.6 shipped in April 2025, and independent roadmap tracking projects the next major IBM i release for 2028. That timing supports a planning checkpoint, not a confirmed Power 12 launch.
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. It projects IBM i 8.2 for 2031 and a further release for 2034 with support extending to 2044.
IBM has historically coordinated major IBM i releases with new Power hardware because the operating system exposes new platform capabilities. If the projected 2028 IBM i window holds, it supports 2028 as a useful Power 12 planning year. It does not confirm that the releases will share a date or that IBM has named the next hardware generation.
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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Chiplet Hub-and-Spoke Architecture
IBM's post-Power11 generation is expected to move to a chiplet design -- but with a hub-and-spoke I/O layout instead of the centralized-I/O approach used by AMD.
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.
IBM Power Generation Release Pattern
IBM's recent Power generation gaps have ranged from three to four years. That supports a 2028 to 2029 planning window after Power 11, not an announced date.
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.