Apple to Launch 'Low-Cost' MacBook Series Next Year to Rival Chromebooks

[MacRumors]

Apple is developing a low-cost MacBook series to compete with Chromebook models in the education sector that could be launched as early as the second half of 2024, claims a new report out of Taiwan.

Photo by Wes Hicks on Unsplash​

According to DigiTimes' industry sources, Apple will likely launch the new product line to differentiate it from the company's existing MacBook Air and Pro lines. The outer appearance will still use a metal casing but will be made of "different materials" and the cost of the mechanical components will be lower, claims the report.

The launch timeframe for the alleged new MacBook series appears to be based on a lack of related activity at major Apple suppliers like Quanta Computer and Foxconn, making a launch in the first half of next year unlikely.

Over 13.9 million Chromebooks were shipped in 2019, increasing to over 30.4 million in 2020 and 33.5 million in 2021, according to DigiTimes Research, highlighting the popularity of Google's low-cost laptops in the education sector, especially during and around the global pandemic.

Chromebook shipments are said to have slowed since the end of lockdowns, but the scale of shipments is still larger than before COVID. The number of educational institutions that have adopted Chromebooks over the last few years is also said to have seen rapid growth, especially when compared to Apple's iPads, sales of which have lagged in the education market.

This is the first rumor we have heard that Apple is actively developing a new MacBook series that the company will price below its more premium MacBook offerings, so expectations should remain guarded until we receive corroboration from other sources.

Article Link: Apple to Launch 'Low-Cost' MacBook Series Next Year to Rival Chromebooks

 

[markfc]

2024 - The Netbook wars 2.0

 

[George Dawes]

I’d much rather have one of these than an iPad

 

[Hairball]

I’ll believe it after it has been unveiled.

 

[ersan191]

Are we sure Apple's definition of low cost is the same as the rest of the world's?

 

[SW3029]

Did not expect to hear that at all.

 

[lyngo]

Digitimes? They’ve had some sketchy rumours in the past. Let’s see how this pans out.

 

[Marbles1]

Sensible to have something at the much lower end. The plastic white and black MacBooks were often people's first foray into the apple computer world in the early to mid 2000s.

 

[klasma]

Hopefully it will support external monitors, so that it can also double as a cheaper Mac mini.

 

[nihil0]

How about 12-inch Macbook in original chassis with M1 CPU? That could be lowcost.

 

[abatabia]

Curious as to what Apple considers low cost. That being said: wouldn’t this kill iPad Pro sales?

 

[klasma]

Are we sure Apple's definition of low cost is the same as the rest of the world's?

Low cost to Apple, it doesn’t imply low price.

 

[Duncan-UK]

Brings back memories of the 11 inch MacBook Air - I loved that little guy. An M1 with 8/256 and retina would be very nice.

 

[Juanchi007]

The M1 Chip (and even most A-Series chips) blow Chromebook performance out of the water.

The M1 MacBook Air already starts at $899 with education pricing and is one of the best deals in computing. If Apple could dedicate resources to making an even lower-cost MacBook, they could own the education sector in a way they haven’t since the 2000s. What’s more, all of those education customers will lock into the Mac ecosystem early and remain in it.

 

[MayaUser]

As i said last year, this could be the M1 Macbook SE or something similar at $699

 

[StellarVixen]

So there’s the confirmation. iPad is not getting Mac OS anytime soon. iPad with Mac OS would be perfect contender in this category, but no…

 

[kerr]

MacBook - introduced
MacBook - discontinued
MacBook - re-introduced
MacBook - discontinued, again
MacBook - re-introduced, again
…

 

[Armada2]

Starting price $999 😂😂

 

[tomtad]

Seriously guys, make it out of plastic.

 

[Gix1k]

Just keep it simple! My daughter has a Chromebook for school and it’s perfect for what it’s needed for.

 

[tfigs]

Oh I hope so. I've been in education for 25 years and when I began, my school was all Macs. And that led me to by my first personal computer, a red iMac. I've been an Apple user ever since. About 5 years ago, we switched to Windows and Microsoft and I had to learn how to use that God-awful PC. Ugh, so unintuitive and not user friendly at all. I still bring my MacBook Pro to work and use it. I use Keynote over PowerPoint, Pages over Word. It's just easier for me.

Of course, can Apple produce something schools will consider "cheap"?? I hope so.

 

[klasma]

MacBooklet?

 

[orbital~debris]

Give it a colourful semi-translucent polycarbonate shell (with metal endoskeleton), Apple!

 

[livmatus]

a 12” revamp with M3 or even A17 would be nice… however I highly doubt anything like that

the utter garbaggio 10th gen iPad with a Magic Keyboard Folio is $698 ($848 for a more useful 256GB)

they won’t cannibalise on that

 

[Darren.h]

hope it does not come with just 4 GB of ram??