A day after analyst Ming-Chi Kuo corroborated a long-time rumor that Apple could be planning to launch a low-cost MacBook in the near future, news aggregator account yeux1122 on the Korean blog Naver said their sources also believe this could happen.
More interestingly, their supply chain source would have mentioned low-cost models in March 2018, July 2021, and September 2023 – meaning Apple has long thought about relaunching its MacBook brand for quite some time.
Although we heard reports from a few sources this year, it’s still unclear what Apple could release. Yeux1122 thinks Apple could launch a 12-inch model and a 13-inch version for educational purposes. Kuo only says, “Apple may also consider (but hasn’t decided yet) introducing a more affordable MacBook model to boost shipments, with a target of 8-10+ million units per year.”
Previously, BGR reported that Apple could be working on a 12-inch MacBook and speculated that Cupertino could take on this computer by adding an M1 chip, 128GB of storage, and 6GB of RAM. That way, it could make this device cheaper but way more powerful than any Chromebook available.
With Mac sales declining, a new low-cost model could be exactly what the company needs to take a more significant stake in the education market, especially to give users an alternative to the entry-level iPad models.
Interestingly, in June 2022, Bloomberg said Apple planned to release a 12-inch MacBook at the end of 2023 or early 2024. DigiTimes, in September 2023, said this Mac could arrive “as early as the second half of 2024.”
One thing is for sure: with so many reports about a 12-inch MacBook, it’s becoming more likely that Apple is indeed readying something for the next few months. And with the M3 chips about to arrive, an M1 option becomes even more possible to come sooner rather than later.
That said, launching a 12-inch model and a 13-inch specifically for educational purposes seems a bit sketchy, as they’d be very similar in specs. BGR will keep reporting on upcoming Mac products.
