Will the M2 MBA replace the M1 as the base model when the M3 releases?

[PainToad]

What's people predictions for what Apple will do with the cheap/education targeted model?

 

[Chuckeee]

Another option is Apple will cease selling BOTH the M1 and M2 13” MacBook Airs

 

[Tagbert]

Another option is Apple will cease selling BOTH the M1 and M2 13” MacBook Airs

That would be a shame.

Apple needs something at a lower price point to keep the sales volume up.

 

[Tagbert]

What's people predictions for what Apple will do with the cheap/education targeted model?

I don’t see Apple directly competing in the education market directly against the Chrome books. Apple just doesn’t offer the management infrastructure software that Google does. I also can’t see Apple willing to produce a laptop anywhere as cheap as a Chrome book.

I do hope that they find a way to price a laptop noticeably cheaper to attract buyers who are currently scared off by MBA’s starting price. They might need to compromise on the profit margin a little but this might be a way to bring in a bunch more customers for those, so important, services.

 

[thenewperson]

Doubtful. I think it'll still be the M1 MBA @ 999 if they can't get the M3 MBA to that price, otherwise it may be killed.

My hope would be a 999 M3 MBA and a 699 M1 MBA as the new low-end laptop.

 

[Elusi]

Wild speculation time! So the rumblings seem to be that..

• Apple might be disappointed with Mac sales numbers, recession be damned.
• M3 is relatively expensive to produce.
• There might be a new low-cost Macbook on the way.

With that in mind, I highly doubt that the Air lineup will start at M3. And I doubt the M1 Macbook Air will stay. Mostly because if they're concerned over staying competitive rather than having product performance segmentation, I don't see how they can drag their feet on this one. They have to offer something more for $999 and the M2 MBA is the closest thing.

I think maybe the "M1 Macbook Air" will become the low-cost "Macbook". If they save enough by keeping an old established manufacturing pipeline, offering an all-aluminium macbook for students and the like will be great. Likely more interesting than if they go polycarbonate. Though perhaps it's just not cheap enough for whatever price-target they want to go for.

The M3 MBA will be the new premium Air and probably come with a new color option to differentiate it a bit more. Perhaps coming with a $100 increase in price.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Highly unlikely that Apple will continue selling the M2, as the M3 appears to just a minor spec bump with SOC only. And in that case, there's not much difference between the two models, and Apple wants to upsell you to a premium. So M1 and M3 I would expect.

 

[JPack]

Given recent Mac sales performance, stop selling M2 and replace with M3 at the same price. If it were better market conditions, they would increase the entry level M3 Air to $1,199. But that COVID and WFH boom is over.

Selling M2 for $999 and M3 for $1,099 or $1,199 is similar to what we have now, except M1/M2. So this strategy is unlikely to work in 2024 and Apple is unlikely to try a failed strategy twice.

 

[thenewperson]

Looks like that’s exactly what happened.