Raspberry Pi 6 Won’t Arrive Until At Least 2028 – What That Means for Makers

Raspberry Pi 6 Timeline Update

During a recent Ask Me Anything on Reddit, senior engineers from the Raspberry Pi Foundation disclosed that the long‑awaited Raspberry Pi 6 is not slated for release before 2028. The conversation also revealed that a Zero 3 model is even further out. The timeline shift is a direct response to the dramatic rise in DRAM prices, which has forced the company to double the cost of several current models in the past six months.

Why the Delay Matters to Developers

Price Stability Over Speed

Raspberry Pi’s core mission has always been to provide an affordable, accessible computing platform. Recent RAM shortages have pushed the price of the 4 GB Pi 4 from around $55 to over $110, and the 8 GB variant has seen similar hikes. By postponing the next hardware generation, the foundation can avoid repeating these spikes and keep the platform within reach of schools, hobbyists, and low‑budget projects.

SDK and OS Compatibility

The current Raspberry Pi OS (based on Debian 12) and the Pi 4 B hardware are fully supported by the latest gcc 13 toolchain and the Linux kernel 6.6. Developers can continue to rely on these versions for the next few years. When the Pi 6 finally lands, it will likely ship with a newer ARM Cortex‑A78 or similar core, requiring an update to the ARMv8‑A toolchain and possibly a newer kernel (7.x series). For now, there’s no rush to migrate codebases.

Cross‑Platform Considerations

Many teams build apps that run on both Raspberry Pi and other SBCs such as the Odroid‑C4 or NVIDIA Jetson Nano. The delay means the Pi’s hardware profile will stay consistent, simplifying CI pipelines that target multiple architectures. Docker images, Yocto recipes, and Flutter builds can continue to target the existing armhf and arm64 ABIs without needing immediate adjustments.

Migration Strategy for the Next Few Years

1. Lock in Dependencies – Pin your project's build tools to the current stable versions (e.g., gcc-13, cmake 3.27). This prevents accidental breakage when the distro updates to newer toolchains.
2. Monitor RAM Market Trends – Keep an eye on DRAM pricing reports. If costs start to fall, the foundation may accelerate the Pi 6 timeline, and you’ll want to be ready to test early silicon.
3. Leverage Existing SBC Alternatives – For projects that need more memory or newer CPU features now, consider using a Rock Pi 4 or Libre Computer Board AML‑S905X‑CC as a temporary bridge.
4. Prepare for Future SDK Changes – When the Pi 6 arrives, expect a shift to glibc 2.38 and possibly a new default Python 3.12 runtime. Begin testing your code against these versions in a container to surface compatibility issues early.
5. Stay Engaged with the Community – Follow the official Raspberry Pi blog, the r/raspberrypi subreddit, and Jeff Geerling’s YouTube channel for the latest hardware rumors and early‑access firmware builds.

What This Means for the Maker Ecosystem

The extended gap gives educators and hobbyists breathing room to fully exploit the current Pi 4/400 lineup. It also encourages the community to mature tooling around cross‑compilation, containerization, and remote development—skills that will pay off when the Pi 6 finally debuts.

In short, the delay is a pragmatic response to market pressures, and it preserves the Raspberry Pi’s reputation for low‑cost, reliable hardware. By planning ahead and keeping your build environment stable, you can continue to ship projects without disruption until the next generation finally lands.

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For more details, see the full AMA transcript on Reddit and Jeff Geerling’s summary video linked in the original Liliputing article.