Katarzyna Petru
Apple is preparing for one of the most unexpected launches in recent years. According to leaks, the company plans to unveil a completely new, budget model of the MacBook, which is set to break away from its previous pricing and styling policies. The device is to be revealed during the Apple Experience event taking place simultaneously in New York, London, and Shanghai. The biggest surprise? The price. The new laptop is expected to cost significantly less than the current models in the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines, with the starting amount dropping below the 1000-dollar barrier. This would mark a real entry for Apple into the segment of more affordable computers for students, schoolchildren, and home users.
Colours like in the iMac and a return to bold design
The new MacBook may stand out not only for its price but also for its style. Leaks suggest testing of bright colour variants, including yellow, green, blue, and pink, alongside classic silver and dark grey. If these reports are confirmed, it will be Apple's most colourful laptop since the iconic iBook G3. The strategy resembles the approach taken with new generations of iMacs, which refreshed the image of Apple computers and attracted younger users.
Colourful cases could become a key marketing element. Apple clearly indicates that it wants to reach people who view laptops as everyday tools for streaming, office work, and studying.
Processor from iPhone instead of M chip?
The most interesting element of the specification concerns the processor. Instead of a chip from the M family, the new model is expected to utilise a unit known from iPhones, likely the A18 Pro.
This is potentially a groundbreaking move. The mobile chip means:
lower production costs,
very high energy efficiency,
long battery life,
less demand for active cooling.
However, the question arises about performance in more demanding tasks. Apple has been optimising macOS for its own architectures for years, so it's possible that in everyday use, the differences compared to M chips will be less noticeable than the technical specifications suggest.
The laptop is set to feature a 12.9-inch display and an aluminium chassis, indicating that despite the lower price, Apple will not forgo the premium finish.
New Pricing Strategy for Apple
The budget MacBook could be the answer to the growing competition in the cheaper Windows laptop segment. A price below the psychological barrier of 1000 dollars would significantly widen the audience. Recently, Apple has been increasingly bold in experimenting with more affordable hardware options. Lower-priced configurations of the Mac mini, cheaper versions of the MacBook Air, and budget models of iPhones like the iPhone 16e have appeared. The new MacBook could become another step towards the mass market.
If the March presentation brings the debut of a cheaper, colourful MacBook with an iPhone processor, Apple could open a completely new chapter in its offerings. Price below 1000 dollars, fresh design, and energy-efficient mobile chip could make it the ideal device for studying, office work, and streaming.
Source: MacRumors, RTV Maniak
