$599 MacBook With iPhone Chip Expected to Enter Production This Year

[MacRumors]

Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today reiterated that a more affordable MacBook powered by an iPhone processor is slated to enter mass production in the fourth quarter of 2025, which points towards a late 2025 or early 2026 launch.

Below, we recap the rumors about the lower-priced MacBook so far.

Kuo was first to reveal that Apple is allegedly planning a more affordable MacBook. In late June, he said the laptop would have around a 13-inch display, and an A18 Pro chip. Kuo said potential color options include silver, blue, pink, and yellow, so the laptop could come in bright colors, like 2021-and-newer models of the 24-inch iMac.

This time around, he only mentioned the MacBook will have an unspecific iPhone processor. Apple recently introduced the A19 Pro chip, which has 12GB of RAM, so it will be interesting to see if the lower-cost MacBook uses that chip instead. The entire Mac lineup has started with at least 16GB of RAM since last year, with the only option with 8GB being the MacBook with an M1 chip, which is sold exclusively by Walmart for $599.

The A18 Pro offers similar performance as the M1 chip, so Apple might opt to save the A19 Pro for the second-generation lower-cost MacBook. Kuo anticipates that follow-up model will be released in 2027, with specs still not finalized.

Taiwanese supply chain publication DigiTimes expects the laptop to have a starting price of between $599 and $699 in the United States.

The publication said the lower-cost MacBook will be equipped with a 12.9-inch display, and a version of the A18 Pro chip that debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro models last year. It would become the first Mac to ever use an A-series chip from an iPhone.

The lower-cost MacBook could launch in late 2025 or early 2026, that report said.

Notably, the A18 Pro and A19 Pro lack Thunderbolt support, so the MacBook would likely be equipped with regular USB-C ports. They would look the same as Thunderbolt ports, but data transfer speeds would be limited to up to 10 Gbps. The laptop would natively support only a single external display, but that limitation can be overcome with DisplayLink adapters.

The lower-cost MacBook could have a lot in common with the discontinued 12-inch MacBook, including an ultra-thin and lightweight design. It would slot in below the MacBook Air, which has a slightly larger 13.6-inch display, an M4 chip, and a starting price of $999. However, the latest MacBook Air is sometimes on sale on Amazon for as low as $799.

Apple often announces new Macs in October, so perhaps the lower-cost MacBook will debut next month. Otherwise, March 2026 is the next likely timeframe.

Article Link: $599 MacBook With iPhone Chip Expected to Enter Production This Year

 

[andrewxgx]

no reason to reuse A18, both are 3nm. and given the AI push, i'd argue they want the upgraded neural accelerators in as much products as possible.

 

[MacTwick]

I see this VERY popular in education, especially for students, if it will support MacOS.

More options and entry points for consumers = a good choice!

 

[FlavorfulTreat]

Interesting. But the new M4 MacBook is $799 as the article notes. This might be too little, too late. I would really like a touchscreen MacBook. Make that happen and it is an instant purchase!

 

[Anaxarxes]

no reason to reuse A18, both are 3nm. and given the AI push, i'd argue they want the upgraded neural accelerators in as much products as possible.

the only reason is the production capacity reason.

the 3rd gen 3nm (N3P) is almost entirely be consumed by M5 and A19/A19 Pro. But there might be still capacity to build A18Pro with N3E. Hence this one might get it.

 

[JPack]

no reason to reuse A18, both are 3nm. and given the AI push, i'd argue they want the upgraded neural accelerators in as much products as possible.

Probably die size, given A19P has 50% more SLC.

 

[dinobear]

I would LOVE an ultra portable running OS X.
There hasn't been a good one since the 12" Macbook. Is this the comeback?!?
13" Macbook could potentially have same footprint as 2017 12" macbook since the bezels are thinner now.

2025 13" Macbook AIR
(lightest macbook you can buy today): 2.7 pounds

2017 12" Macbook: 2 pounds.

Again, this is a huge difference when you are trying to decide if it's worth it to carry laptop around all day. The 2 pounds feels like nothing. 3 pounds you start to think about if you should bring it or not.

Photo below: 13" MBP next to 12" Macbook

 

[JPack]

Interesting. But the new M4 MacBook is $799 as the article notes. This might be too little, too late. I would really like a touchscreen MacBook. Make that happen and it is an instant purchase!

One of Apple’s goals for low cost MacBook is probably to not have to sell MBA at $799.

 

[miku2002]

So now we have iPads with M4 chips and now Macbooks with A18 chips? Make it make sense!

 

[turbineseaplane]

A preowned M1 Air for a $300-400 sounds better to me honestly.

 

[dinobear]

Interesting. But the new M4 MacBook is $799 as the article notes. This might be too little, too late. I would really like a touchscreen MacBook. Make that happen and it is an instant purchase!

I don't think it will be a touchscreen - that would just be an ipad with attached keyboard.
having a touchscreen OSX would need an alternate OS thats not IOS and not OSX - and no one would use this.

 

[emlarsen]

Interesting. But the new M4 MacBook is $799 as the article notes. This might be too little, too late. I would really like a touchscreen MacBook. Make that happen and it is an instant purchase!

With what they’re starting with iPadOS26 it’s pretty clear that’s a future focus to sell magic keyboards.

 

[azentropy]

Again.... IF they can actually make a MacBook smaller and lighter than the Air I'd be willing to give up "some" features/performance for a secondary/travel system.

 

[MBAir2010]

I would LOVE an ultra portable running OS X.
There hasn't been a good one since the 12" Macbook. Is this the comeback?!?
13" Macbook could potentially have same footprint as 2017 12" macbook since the bezels are thinner now.

13" MBP next to 12" Macbook - that form factor is huge difference and very much missed.

View attachment 2550662

is that ElCap or Sierra, which was defunct just today by them s.....sads.

My MacBook Air is getting hot when in use semi-outside in 94º heat,
that MacBook, my friends surely needs a fan!

 

[gugy]

BestBuy had an MBA M2 for $699 and Walmart a M1 for $100 less. Would that be a better deal in terms of power/value? I just purchased my wife the M4 for $799.

 

[natnorth]

is that ElCap or Sierra, which was defunct just today by them s.....sads.

OSX 10.11 El Capitan

 

[bradman83]

no reason to reuse A18, both are 3nm. and given the AI push, i'd argue they want the upgraded neural accelerators in as much products as possible.

By that logic though the 11th generation iPad would have come with an A17 instead of the A16 chip and insufficient RAM to run Apple Intelligence. I'm sure Apple likely sees this product as a fitting a similar niche with the Mac market where users are unlikely to care about Apple Intelligence and, if they do, it's an incentive to upgrade to a pricier machine like the MacBook Air.

 

[filmbuff]

I've been using a 2015 12" Macbook lately and it makes my 13" M4 MBA feel huge, to the point where I don't even want to carry it traveling. I'd consider this and I'm probably not even the target market for the entry level.

 

[dinobear]

Again.... IF they can actually make a MacBook smaller and lighter than the Air I'd be willing to give up "some" features/performance for a secondary/travel system.

Not a matter of IF.
In 2017 they were selling a macbook that weighed 2 pounds.
The lightest macbook air today is 2.7 pounds.

It's if they want to or not.

 

[DavidSchaub]

A preowned M1 Air for a $300-400 sounds better to me honestly.

I don't quite understand the push for people to still buy the M1.

The M1 is 5 years old. Apple will likely only support it with new OS for another ~3 years?

The new A series will have much stronger single thread performance and support lots of other new technologies... for lower power budget.

 

[FlavorfulTreat]

I don't think it will be a touchscreen - that would just be an ipad with attached keyboard.
having a touchscreen OSX would need an alternate OS thats not IOS and not OSX - and no one would use this.

I mean, I would! I feel like a lot of other people would use it too. iPadOS is still lacking a true file system, so maybe not really an iPad with a keyboard

 

[currentinterest]

Even for $599 it needs more RAM than 8 GB. A 12 GB machine would still be differentiated from a 16 GB MacBook Air and give a much better guarantee of future performance.

 

[azentropy]

BestBuy had an MBA M2 for $699 and Walmart a M1 for $100 less. Would that be a better deal in terms of power/value? I just purchased my wife the M4 for $799.

The M4 at $799 is the best deal unless you have very short term and basic needs and have strict budget constraints. Apple used to charge an additional $200 for going from 8 to 16gb, so for that same increase you get a whole lot more going from the M1 to the M4. IF the M2 has 16GB I still think the extra $100 is worth it to get the M4.

 

[DavidSchaub]

BestBuy had an MBA M2 for $699 and Walmart a M1 for $100 less. Would that be a better deal in terms of power/value? I just purchased my wife the M4 for $799.

Tradeoffs.

The M4 at $799 is not the normal price.

We would have to see how much this $599 laptop costs when it is on sale.

 

[azentropy]

Not a matter of IF.
In 2017 they were selling a macbook that weighed 2 pounds.
The lightest macbook air today is 2.7 pounds.

It's if they want to or not.

The IF was referring to that $599 price they are referencing. The 2017 MacBook was at more than twice that price.