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Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip
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Apple is still selling via Walmart new M1 macbooks for $650. Been going on since they stopped selling on Apple.com
I wouldn't be surprised if this becomes the new MacBook a lot of people have been waiting to buy.
Not really. I beg to differ. For the same price as Amazon or BB as a new Mac on sale, you get a refurbished model from Apple. Unless you have Apple Cards or credit, always buy from a discounted source for brand new would be my recommendation.
Apple wants to bring 8GB of RAM back to Macs 😂
I think having an M over an A chip is what adds to the cost.
If they did a MacBook with an M chip, it would be no different to the airs we have today even if Apple skimpt on the display, speakers, mics etc.
I think resurrect the 2012 Intel core m MacBook design but replace the intel with the A18 / A18 pro.
Then you’ve got your budget MacBook, which can sit below your MacBook Airs and your MacBook Pros.
Basically, it’s a base model iPad in a laptop body.
As for the 8GB RAM scenario 8GB is plenty for the low power users and when a time comes that 8GB is no longer enough for anyone, we will already have A chips that exceed 8GB RAM as standard.
In my opinion Apple’s biggest problem in the laptop space (ignore the iPad pretending to be one) is that they’ve always lacked a true budget model.
Even by today’s standards £999 is not budget.
Personally I feel £600 with 256GB (slower but still fast enough SSD) would be spot on with the option of going to 512GB for £700.
Keep everything else the same.
This model won’t be for the apple enthusiasts but it’s not meant to be.
It’s for the netbook market, a market that the MacBook air never fit into because it was too expensive.
Apple now has the perfect opportunity to provide solid everyday performance for less money and they can cover the lowest end of budgets.
Everybody wins.
Given the price of MBA I'd prefer they keep its price and gave it at least one of every port MBP has, to make both compatible. iPad covers the lower end with several small screen sizes. There should be a 13" MBA, not a lower end model, a full and capable machine with the same chips as the bigger model. The bigger MBA is the wrong size, it should be a mid size around 14.5" (to complement the 13" nicely) and MBP mid size should be that same 14.5".
To give a thinner machine more ports Apple wants to thin out MBP, but they should actually double down on its chonkiness, power and cooling, while they make MBA more useful at the same time. Macs should be proper machines with decent value, not budget value. iPads will cover that market, and increasingly as they get more Mac-like software features.
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How about just make it so an iPhone can plug into a monitor and you can then use a full Mac OS.
That’s a fair point but with pro iPhones you have your OLED display, three high end back cameras and a high end front camera (when compared to the average webcam), studio qluality mics, Wi-Fi 7, 5G etc.
All in a smaller form factor.
It’s a combination of a number of things that impact the cost to produce not just what chip is being used. But I get a feeling that with all of this in mind, a base A18 chip is cheaper to produce than a base M4.
They can differentiate the product with a colorful plastic shell and a cute name.
Take a look at the fat bezels on the old iBook 12”, the screen is like 9” diagonally. A modern 13” is bigger than the 15” screens of the past because it will go closer to the edges.
Like the ASUS PADFONE! Heheh
Sure, Tim can arrange that, the new iPhone will cost $5,000. Consider it done.
Displays are measured diagonally without the bezels. The 12 inch iBook had a 12 inch display, not a 9 inch.
I don't doubt it. It would be worth it though because we would be saving even more of the planet while we use something already powerful enough to run Mac OS for 90% of the people on the planet.
If a product like this happens, a big reason for it existing will be to raise the prices of everything else in the lineup.
It will be used as a new higher entry anchor point, just like what happened with the iPhone 16e
It will be used as a new higher entry anchor point, just like what happened with the iPhone 16e
I used one for years, and it was not as underpowered for daily tasks as the blogosphere would have you believe. The keyboard was the real stinker.
Although I would love this to be a refreshed 12 inch MacBook, I think if they want it sell in volume it's going to need to have a 13 inch display.
In fact, I would even go so far as to suggest they could simply reheat the M1 MacBook Air chassis and sell it for $699. It will need 16GB for Apple AI features (although I could see 12GB as a potential option). I would also guess we might see the return of the anaemic 256GB SSD.
I think Apple will like it as it gives them scope to raise Mx Air prices from a $999 starting point to a $1,199 starting point without too much complaining.
In fact, I would even go so far as to suggest they could simply reheat the M1 MacBook Air chassis and sell it for $699. It will need 16GB for Apple AI features (although I could see 12GB as a potential option). I would also guess we might see the return of the anaemic 256GB SSD.
I think Apple will like it as it gives them scope to raise Mx Air prices from a $999 starting point to a $1,199 starting point without too much complaining.