Apple is planning to launch a lower-end MacBook laptop for the first time, in an attempt to compete with affordable Chromebooks and Windows PCs – something that would have seemed like an unlikely move just a few years ago.
The reason? Apple wants to boost Mac sales by chasing a new market with a cheaper option than the MacBook Air. The new machine is set to debut in the coming months – and could even be with us in the coming weeks. Judging by previous Apple launch cycles, that most likely means March.
According to a Bloomberg report, the model would run on an A-Series processor from the iPhone range, which would be a first for a macOS device. The report says the planned chip is more powerful than an M1 chip that powered Apple’s first-generation Apple Silicon MacBooks. This could be the A18 Pro seen in the iPhone 16 Pro according to rumor, though we can’t help but feel it would be more likely to be an earlier M Series chip.
It seems there will be a new design with a smaller display than the MacBook Air with 13.6-inches, which would also be a “lower-end LCD” display. The cheapest MacBook is currently the 13.6-inch MacBook Air M4 which costs $999/£999, but according to the report the company is looking to sell this one for “well under $1,000.”
Price cuts regularly take versions of the MacBook Air down to $800+, so it seems likely the new model would undercut that, possibly at the $600 mark. It would probably seem too cheap if it was less than that and the 13in iPad Air starts at $799, so that’s a more likely ballpark. Note that you can still get the original MacBook Air M1 for $599 at Walmart, depending on sales.
Apple has traditionally focused on attracting premium users, but there’s an opportunity to attract a different clientele with a better value option. Mac sales are actually up at the moment. In a recent earnings report Apple announced it had sold 6.2 million Macs in the quarter, which is up from 5.6 million sales year on year.
Apple launched a new MacBook Pro with the M5 processor late last year (M5 Pro and Max variants are also on the way), but this would be an entirely different proposition. Given Windows 10’s lifecycle has ended, there’ll be a lot of people in the market for a new machine in the next 12 months. Perhaps this machine can win them over to the Mac side?
And it’s not the only new product coming from Apple soon: iPhone 17e is ‘imminent’ and it’ll bring four major upgrades for the same price
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