A12Z DTK in 2020 already ran circles around PCs using Rosetta. There's no reason why A18/A19 can't.
There's no chance it won't support Rosetta. Apple is selling its strengths here; zero reason to deliberately cripple features.
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Apple Launching Budget MacBook in 2026
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A12Z DTK in 2020 already ran circles around PCs using Rosetta. There's no reason why A18/A19 can't.
There's no chance it won't support Rosetta. Apple is selling its strengths here; zero reason to deliberately cripple features.
This is not en********ation. En********ation would be if Apple sold a MacBook at a subsidized rate with ads included, or subscription to services required.
That is an M* Class chip, not a A* class chip.
The M1 could could have just been called a A13X or Z.
This device only makes sense if it runs the A19 Pro.
The chip will be in full production by mid 2026 si it needs to be used, it was described as Desktop competitive during the 17 Pro introduction. The A18 Pro is not used anywhere else and unless it powers a new Apple TV 4K, it's not logical to put use the A18 Pro in this laptop.
The chip will be in full production by mid 2026 si it needs to be used, it was described as Desktop competitive during the 17 Pro introduction. The A18 Pro is not used anywhere else and unless it powers a new Apple TV 4K, it's not logical to put use the A18 Pro in this laptop.
That's a marketing name only. What are the actual differences?
A18/A19 completely dominates the A12Z in execution resources, memory bandwidth, and anything else that matters.
That is my point. Thermal/Power class is the same. A12Z and M* is a marketing/branding difference.
I'm not saying it can't, I just think Apple won't bother, mostly for market segmentation reasons.
Or provide a good but limited experience and people that would not buy one to begin with, buy one. The limited part will keep the sales of the full featured devices.
I had three of those iBooks. Each with faster clock speed then before. First one died so went up to city and bought a used one with dinky hd and swapped in my HD so no setup/migrate pain. Repeat. That worked until got a MacBook and a Ricochet radio modem.
How is it a "bother"? Apple doesn't need to recreate Rosetta 2 just for this low-cost MacBook.
It would be the equivalent of deleting the FaceTime app. It makes no difference to Apple. Having it doesn't cannibalize the MacBook Air. Keeping Rosetta, which is a no-brainer, lets Apple sell the fact it can run the same software library as any other Mac.
Yup, that is what market segmentation does, especially for a feature they are working on dropping over time.
Agree with all the points here on this being a parts-binned MacBook that will clearly move units if the price point makes sense without too many ridiculous compromises, especially if the design is light and portable like the original butterfly keyboard MacBook. I could also see Apple renaming the A18 Pro to something like the M4e to keep the separation between the mobile chips and the laptop-grade ones.
Except history shows Apple rations hardware on Mac, not software.
This low-budget MacBook has me a bit confused. If it really comes out at around $400–500, it could actually end up being more productive than the expensive iPad Pros (especially when you factor in their keyboards). That would put the iPad Pro lineup in an even stranger position.
Time will tell. It wasn't on the very top of my list, I just listed it as possible item.
I hope that doesn't happen. Since they are going with a A-chip, they will probably limit memory to 8GB. That may insure exactly the bad experience you fear.
Most people don't need an M5. The people who do should not be fooled by an iPhone SoC in a Mac form factor. Cross your fingers that Apple marketing doesn't confuse the less sophisticated user who does need more. Imagine the battery life given a laptop-size battery powering an iPhone. It could be exactly what a lot of people want and need.
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Yes! I'm sure that is what Apple is targeting as the goal.
The junk-heap of history is filled with companies that refused to cannibalize their own markets and then had their markets eaten by upstarts. This is especially true in the computer industry. It takes executive leadership to know when to quash the politics that lead internal profit centers to intracompany protectionism. Long-run survival in tech requires preemptive self-destruction to avoid becoming tomorrow's HBS case study.
spec'd right and priced, a Macbook like this could easily cannibalize a lot of iPad sales
Your second point is a valid concern but keep in mind that the comparison will be to cheap Chromebooks and Windows laptops. It'll be a dream machine compared to those. No adware, no stickers, bright retina display, haptic trackpad, etc. Even if Apple only sells it through education channels and Wal-Mart, the word will get out and it will cannibalize some MacBook Air sales. But if it grows the Mac installed base I doubt Apple will care.
Brace yourselves for the possibility of only 1 configuration with 16 GB of memory and 256 GB of storage.
Talking about Macs, many of you are hungry for details, so here's the deal:
Regular MacBook
MacBook Air
MacBook Pro M5
MacBook Pro M4-Pro
MacBook Pro M4-Max
Continuity: MacBook + iPhone + Watch
The competition: PC (Windows is still king, like it or not…)
Regular MacBook
MacBook Air
MacBook Pro M5
MacBook Pro M4-Pro
MacBook Pro M4-Max
Continuity: MacBook + iPhone + Watch
The competition: PC (Windows is still king, like it or not…)
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That would be great. I hope its true. Apple needs to release products which compete with its own products.