Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip

[blipmusic]

[developers are] not the target audience (I believe).

The target audience, I think, would be people „on the fence“ about whether they‘ll buy a MacBook or a Windows machine. Or a notebook at all.

I agree, to be honest I'm just desperate for a small take-everywhere laptop for development. (and I find even 13" too large for that scenario). Even the base Macbook Air is out of reach for many, so if Apple pulls off an entry level laptop that's closer to the base Mac mini in price, it will sway a lot of people I know.

 

[AppliedMicro]

The target is children and they already do this in their iPad lineup of keyboards so not any difference.

The iPad does not have a low-res display (any of Apple‘s OS today looks bad on low-res displays).

And inferior keyboard/trackpad/mouse support are common reasons for choosing Macs over iPads.

 

[AppliedMicro]

I agree, to be honest I'm just desperate for a small take-everywhere laptop for development. (and I find even 13" too large for that scenario)

Don‘t get me wrong, I‘d absolutely love a reappearance of a 1kg or less portable MacBook.

Give it a better keyboard, a 2nd USB-C port (and Apple Silicon of course), and I‘d buy a 12“ instantly.
No other changes necessary from the one they released a decade ago.

 

[klasma]

I was thinking of working or presenting on the external display.

I think that could work. The reason the iPad doesn’t offer this is that touch input requires use of the built-in screen.

 

[HouseLannister]

Could they sell it for $499?

Could they? Yes. Will they? No.

 

[Moonjumper]

If this is true, I would expect more than just the chip to differentiate it.

The MacBook Air and Pro both have fantastic battery life, but many people were OK with a shorter laptop battery life before Apple Silicon (and many Windows users still are). So the battery could be much smaller for a cheaper, smaller, lighter device, and still be very usable. And would be fine for switchers from Windows as many laptops there still have shorter battery life.

 

[jdclifford]

The iPad lineup has three tiers which allows the pro and air to become more expensive.

To me the “advantage” of creating layers has always been the built-in price increase for the upper tiers of the product wether it be a computer or automobile. Stealthiest way to increase profits is to introduce a scaled down version of your top tier product with a sales price not too far below the top tier product. I then up the price of the upper tier without doing anything else. Pure profit. Car manufacturers did this years ago.

 

[ThailandToo]

For a low-cost option, I wish they could just bring back the 12" Macbook model, and stick in an M2 or M3 chip in?

Yeah, I liked that Mac, and it was really designed for a low power SoC like the M-series SoC. Why use the same MacBook Air body, as it doesn't make sense that only the SoC is different. I guess perhaps Apple moves to 120Hz on the MBA and goes 60Hz on new low-power MacBook. I just think AAPL isn't going to be willing to sell for anywhere near what some people think like $599. I think best case scenario it's a $799 MacBook, and then Amazon or BB provides the better MacBook Air for $50 more on sale. So the 12" MacBook would make all the sense in the world. I actually just want the notch gone from all the Apple products. I am sick of Apple using its design language to market their products by ruining the user experience. I have my desktop set to black on my MBP, so I don't have to look at the disgusting thing. What's even worse is no reason for it.

 

[blipmusic]

Yes, you don't need much hardware for what can basically be a ssh/text editor terminal.

However, if you don't work alone, or even if you do work alone, all that crap that runs in a browser or instantiates a copy of chrome and pretends it's a separate application will eat all the ram in a <= 8 Gb machine rather instantly.

And even if your work only requires an editor and ssh, it may still be more convenient to run containers/vms locally.

I'm a dev in academia so very "alone" As in there are other devs, of course, but we usually dev solo in whatever the current research project is most of the time. Non-chrome GUIs, if you refer to the text editors I use (or just one of the many terminal editors). No ssh/remote development required in my case and I like to stay local if possible. Not much in terms of VMs etc either, but I may need to change that for some things.

Anyway, no this laptop is not intended for me.

 

[TechRunner]

This and an iPhone "e" series would be a reasonably priced entry-level setup to get into the Apple ecosystem.

 

[Isamilis]

Yaaaas! I really wanted a small, thin, everyday Mac! Really liked the 12-inch MacBook at the time, shame it was underpowered. Never got to try one.

I thought this new product will also be underpowered.

 

[kerr]

For product differentiation, this should be 12”.

 

[CharlesShaw]

Maybe this new “cheaper” MacBook is intended to come in at $£999 so the Air can move up to 1500 and they drop the non-Pro M4 version MacBook Pro?

Agreed. When the iPad Pro went OLED, the price jump was significant, and the iPad Air filled in the 13" non-OLED space and price tier. And with the MacBook Pro going OLED...

 

[AppliedMicro]

I just think AAPL isn't going to be willing to sell for anywhere near what some people think like $599. I think best case scenario it's a $799 MacBook, and then Amazon or BB provides the better MacBook Air for $50 more on sale.

I get that Apple‘s refurbished store is under-appreciated or a secret for many.

But they already have much better value MacBooks in the Refurb Store today.

 

[arc of the universe]

my take is a little bit different.

i think apple would not run macOS on an A series chip.

i think that this device will be a clam shell iPad that runs iPadOS.

think about it:
- iPadOS/macOS/iOS 26 series have integrated icons and design language
- iPadOS 26 has made the most advances towards acting like a mac than ever before
- what is the number 1 complaint about the iPad Air with the magic keyboard: way way too heavy and the computer bits are in the iPad so its way way top heavy.
- this A series chip clamshell iPad will be thin, light, and with the computer parts under the keyboard so it feels great just like a mac.

call it underpowered, call it a chromebook if you want.
but what it will be is the victory lap for iOS and iOS apps declaring victory.
thinner, lighter, yet equally powerful clients are the future.

macOS will be phased out within 10 years except maybe for mac pro equivalent work for true professionals.

 

[TigeRick]

How about simple iPad 13-inch selling for $499 ? With iPad OS getting MacOS-like interface Ming Chi Kuo could be confusing by that

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/low-cost-macbook-or-13-inch-ipad-for-499-ipad-2026-full-lineup-discussion-threads.2459911/

I started a thread dedicated for iPad 2026 Lineup, feel free to pitch in ...

 

[leifp]

C’mon 12” MacBook…

 

[iZac]

Finally, the return of the eMate?

 

[Padaung]

I would love a sub 1kg, 12", slim laptop with all day battery life and similar (or better) NPU, and single and multi-core performance to a M1 powered device to have in my camera bag for when I need to make a quick selection/edit of some images post capture. Every gram matters when carrying a computer with camera gear in a rucksac or roller bag when you have to navigate metro/underground systems with steps!

Presumably a base model would ship with 16Gb memory and 128 or 256Gb storage.

If this comes in under £1k then that would be truly excellent.

 

[iZac]

I guess it will be the same fun colours as the base iPad? For products that are more encouraged to be used an a 'utilitarian' way, I'm sure they get dinged up a lot more revealing the bare aluminium. Funnily enough it probably shows up more on these bright colours.

 

[starlabjump]

If this rumor is true, A-series chip can run full MacOS?

 

[Corefile]

It still feels like keeping the older M series MBA around at a lower price would be the ways to go as it'd save on development costs. But maybe the M series is too powerful still for the performance per price point they are trying to hit. Nonetheless, if this were sold for $499 in volume then it would obliterate the junk PC laptop market for good.

 

[AppliedMicro]

A-series chip can run full MacOS?

It could.

 

[DailySlow]

Seriously. It would be getting a slimmer Lambo with a Prius drive train.

 

[azentropy]

I was always a fan of keeping the previous MacBook Air form factor (from the M1 and prior) as a MacBook SE. Just update the specs every couple of years.