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Apple may release more affordable Mac laptops to compete with budget Chromebooks and Windows laptops as early as 2026.
Mark Gurman of Bloomberg Reports indicate that the company has plans to launch a machine “for well under $1,000.” According to Gorman, the new laptop is Already in early production Under the code name J700. This matches Previous rumours A low-cost MacBook Air was in the works at around $599, which would allow Apple to compete directly with others. Cheap laptopsincluding Chromebooks and Windows PCs.
An Apple representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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According to the report, costs will be kept down by using a lower-end LCD screen that’s smaller than the 13.6-inch MacBook Air, which could make the new more affordable MacBook as small as 12 inches.
Another way Apple can lower the cost is by using the A-series iPhone chip, which doesn’t measure up to the high performance offered by the current MacBook Pro or M4 Air. The next slide might be a different kind of A19 Pro chip Which debuted with the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air, which Apple says is capable of MacBook-level performance.
As CNET senior editor Matt Elliott points outBold promise. It is speculated that the rumored $599 MacBook Air may get the same processor as the smartphone, or an M-series chip based on that architecture.
Bloomberg also reported that a MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips is in development, and that Apple has completed work on a MacBook Air powered by the M5 chip, which is scheduled for release early next year.
The affordable laptop will be designed for casual users, students, businesses, and especially individuals who need a device for tasks like web browsing, light media editing, and document creation. The tech giant is also targeting the education market, as well as iPad buyers who may also want a traditional laptop.
The rumored $599 MacBook Air should cut costs compared to the M4 MacBook Air (pictured above) using an iPhone chip.
“If this is a move to entice consumers with a high-quality, low-cost MacBook running MacOS instead of an iPad with a keyboard, then yes, Apple will likely take a big chunk of that market,” said Josh Goldman, managing editor at CNET.
“Making inroads into the education market at this point, where Chromebooks have dominated since the pandemic, will be difficult, though I’m sure it’s nothing that billions of dollars in spending can’t fix,” CNET’s Goldman said.
This price range is a “big departure”
Price is likely to be the key here. The $599 price would put the new Mac in the same range as more affordable Chromebooks and laptops, representing a major change from Apple’s previous strategy.
“Apple potentially dipping into the $300 to $500 Chromebook range with the new MacBook is a big departure,” Goldman said.
He points out that it is one of Apple’s most affordable MacBooks MacBook Air M4available starting at $999 for the 13-inch model. Walmart is still selling A new M1 MacBook Air, a 5-year-old laptop, for about $600.
In contrast, A iPad 11th generation together Magic keyboard It will cost you around $600, which shows that Apple’s target market for the rumored device is students and lighter users.
Apple hasn’t typically targeted the lower-priced market segment with its MacBooks. However, with consumer wallets under pressure from inflation, High tariffs and layoffs, an affordable MacBook may be necessary and timely.
