New 12.9-Inch MacBook Could Launch This Year Starting at $599

[visualseed]

Why insist on a smaller screen? If they can squeeze a 12.9” screen in that old MacBook chassis with much smaller bezels that would be a sweet package.

A 12.9" screen won't fit in that lid even with a camera notch or dynamic island. The largest screen possible without changing the aspect ratio would be 12.25" and that leaves narrower side bezels than thew current M4 MacBook Air. Personally, I'd rather they tighten it up by shaving down the keyboard a little bit and cutting about a half inch diagonally off the whole case when closed.

 

[Macbookey]

Think students, office drones, etc. People that need the flexibility of a desktop OS but not all that much power. Even then this thing would probably run circles around my office-issued desktop.

Absolutely. I’m curios to see if this computer makes inroads into corporate environments where most software in that business is browser based. Apple security and hardware quality/reliability.

 

[AppliedMicro]

MacOS has had the option al ability to prevent "sideloading" - by setting GateKeeper to "App Store only" mode - for a decade or so. If Apple wanted "lock down" MacOS they could have done so at any time by flipping a bit. It's not some bit of magic tech that needs an "iPhone processor" to implement

Of course.

But using a non-M series processor and selling at a hitherto unseen lower price point provides them the opportunity to finally pull it off. By spinning it as more secure for the not so tech-inclined - and claiming that only the proverbial guardrails of their App Store guidelines ensure that everything will run smoothly at only 8GB of RAM.

Apple may decide to force lock-down at some time - but when they're facing pressure to unlock iOS I'm not sure its likely.

macOS and the Mac App Store have only a fraction of users in the EU compared to iOS. And only a smaller fraction of desktop computing market share. So they will not be subject to the same legislation for the foreseeable future.

On the other hand it will draw consumers in to the App Store - which may be preferring it even when they could make purchases elsewhere.

 

[FlyingTexan]

ipads run ipadOS..this has to run Macos and probably with built in 5G

Built in 5g is what every macbook is missing.

 

[huge_apple_fangirl]

If Apple is designing a new 12.9” chassis rather than reusing the old M1 Air one and slapping an A18 in it I’m curious how it could be so cheap. The current M1 Mac sells at Best Buy for that price; I would think a new design would push up costs. I would have expected they’d basically keep the old computer and price point but change the SoC and a few other things.

 

[theluggage]

The current M1 Mac sells at Best Buy for that price;

You think they’re making a loss on that?
What about the PC laptops for half the price? Chromebooks for a third of the price?

$600 may be bargain-bucket by Apple standards but it’s a long way past entry-level for a basic “personal productivity” laptop. Apple will probably use a cheaper display panel c.f. the MBA and the A18 is something they’re already making in vast quantities for iPhone so the marginal cost of that will be pretty low. There’s nothing magical about designing a case for that which would push up the price of a $600 laptop. It’s an iPhone processor, so cooling it and powering it in a slim case won’t be rocket surgery.

Big brands like Apple don’t price products at cost + 20% markup. They’ll have a target price based on what they think the market will pay.

 

[Galas]

Unless you mean A17/A18 is Apple silicon you are going to be uninterested...

And rumour isnt 12" either unless 12.9" cuts it...

I think that the 12 Macbook could perfectly fit a 12.9" screen , using 2025 sized bezels.

 

[huge_apple_fangirl]

You think they’re making a loss on that?
What about the PC laptops for half the price? Chromebooks for a third of the price?

$600 may be bargain-bucket by Apple standards but it’s a long way past entry-level for a basic “personal productivity” laptop. Apple will probably use a cheaper display panel c.f. the MBA and the A18 is something they’re already making in vast quantities for iPhone so the marginal cost of that will be pretty low. There’s nothing magical about designing a case for that which would push up the price of a $600 laptop. It’s an iPhone processor, so cooling it and powering it in a slim case won’t be rocket surgery.

Big brands like Apple don’t price products at cost + 20% markup. They’ll have a target price based on what they think the market will pay.

Sure Apple could still profit from it but they like to keep their margins constant. A fully amortized production line making M1 MBA chassis will be cheaper than a new line making a new design. That should drop margins. With the vanilla iPad, they reuse old iPad Air chassis and displays with A* chips. That makes it cheap.

 

[theluggage]

A fully amortized production line making M1 MBA chassis will be cheaper than a new line making a new design.

"Fully amortized" == probably obsolete, clapped out and all the deductible tax fully claimed - if not they're amortizing it wrong. May also be on the wrong continent if they're looking at minimising tariffs.

Plus, unless Tim Cook has been possessed by a wrong-righting time traveller, I bet you an internet that this new MacBook will be designed to use less/cheaper materials than the regular MBA.

 

[dgdosen]

"Fully amortized" == probably obsolete, clapped out and all the deductible tax fully claimed - if not they're amortizing it wrong. May also be on the wrong continent if they're looking at minimising tariffs.

Plus, unless Tim Cook has been possessed by a wrong-righting time traveller, I bet you an internet that this new MacBook will be designed to use less/cheaper materials than the regular MBA.

I've heard Jason Snell keep making that point about "design and tooling costs need to recouped", etc... and agree it's kind of non-issue.

I have no doubt that a combination of newer, cheaper materials and components (and less of them) will more that make up for any design and tooling costs. You can't just factor in historical costs, you need to look at expectations too. Apple is expecting to sell millions of these things over the next few years. Shaving off weight and equipping them with non-obsolete parts will matter more to any future $$$ (cash flow).

If they were smart they'd make a 'premium' version of a tiny laptop too and extract a premium from those of us jonesing for the return of something like an Apple Silicon 12"MB.

 

[e.clinton]

I would love to be wrong but I do not believe one second that the company that charges desktop wheels and monitor stands for close to $1k and still continue to charge atrociously expansive upgrade on RAM / Storage on macbooks will canibalize its MBAs which sell pretty well with someing lower end at 599. 599 is just too competitive, Timmy wants a juicy margin. 799 maybe but 599 is copium
Once again I would love to be wrong but you don't become a trillion dollar company by canibalizing your product line.

Macs are still only 10% of laptop sales. Even if they canibalize their line a bit, the upside is huge given the overall size of the market. Not to mention they bring people into their ecosystem so they can sell them more expensive computers later. Apple has already surprised us with M4 chips and 16GB of RAM on the Mac Mini and the Macbook Air (regularly selling for $800 these days)

 

[jlc1978]

yes for 599 makes sense otherwise ..probably with 256ssd and 8gb ram but for $400 more you get double the ram and storage and far better performance M4...it will be hard to chose for people...for students probably easy choice if this will get $499 with back to school

I suspect it will be popular with people that just want to check email, use a browser and do some light writing/spreadsheet work. $400 is a lot to spend for a machine that wouldn't be noticeably better, and at roughly 2x the price it would be a psychological barrier as well.

I would love to be wrong but I do not believe one second that the company that charges desktop wheels and monitor stands for close to $1k and still continue to charge atrociously expansive upgrade on RAM / Storage on macbooks will canibalize its MBAs which sell pretty well with someing lower end at 599. 599 is just too competitive, Timmy wants a juicy margin. 799 maybe but 599 is copium

There is no reason Apple can't retain it's desired margins on a lower priced MacBook.

Once again I would love to be wrong but you don't become a trillion dollar company by canibalizing your product line.

While there would be some canibalization, it also makes the Mac now affordable to a whole new market segment.

Same price as the MBA M1 currently sold in a famous US grocery store and this is lacking Thunderbolt ports and who knows what else (slower SSD and crappier display?).

I suspect the M1 will go away if and when this comes out. I suspect the data gained from selling the M1 will provide insights that help drive a decision on making a low cost machine as a standard offering.

 

[Dhonk]

Too good to be true

This sounds great to me. I’d get rid of my iPad Air 13” or give it to the wife. It’s mainly what I use for content on the go when I don’t want to take my Air. I could even feel comfy lounging with this on the couch. I had a used 2017 rMB for that purpose before it got too slow and was replaced by the 13” iPad Air.

 

[Kiwamu]

Same price as the MBA M1 currently sold in a famous US grocery store and this is lacking Thunderbolt ports and who knows what else (slower SSD and crappier display?).

That's the kicker, this release / deal is limited to the US (probably due to parts reasons); leveraging the A18(Pro) product line that is currently and still will be in production (the previous two iPhones are always sold, too), you can offer this to a wider and international market. I would be game.

 

[ducknalddon]

That's the kicker, this release / deal is limited to the US (probably due to parts reasons); leveraging the A18(Pro) product line that is currently and still will be in production (the previous two iPhones are always sold, too), you can offer this to a wider and international market. I would be game.

I wonder if they will limit it to the same channels they sell the M1 Air through now. It may not be in the Apple stores nor on their online shop but just in Costco, Walmart, etc.

 

[Kiwamu]

I wonder if they will limit it to the same channels they sell the M1 Air through now. It may not be in the Apple stores nor on their online shop but just in Costco, Walmart, etc.

Hopefully not...

 

[mk313]

I wonder if they will limit it to the same channels they sell the M1 Air through now. It may not be in the Apple stores nor on their online shop but just in Costco, Walmart, etc.

I can't see any reason why they would. I can understand the M1, as it's not really something they want to sell a ton of, but it's a good fit for the Walmart demographic. It also allows them to explore how well a lower priced Macbook can sell without having to invest in any new models, and also allows them to draw some conclusions about cannibalization of the higher priced model.

If they do produce a lower priced new model, I think they will sell it everywhere.