Last month, a report from DigiTimes claimed that Apple is developing a “low-cost MacBook series” to boost the sales of Mac devices. According to the publication, these affordable MacBook models will arrive in the second half of 2024 and will compete directly with Google Chromebook laptops in the education sector. Now, Ming-Chi Kuo, who is known for leaking information about Apple’s future plans, also says that the company is working on “a more affordable MacBook model to boost shipments”.
MacBook sales are declining
According to Kuo, the sales of MacBooks have been declining, and that’s because the Apple M2 SoCs in the latest models don’t offer a significant performance upgrade over the Apple M1 chipsets. He believes that this is why the company is launching new MacBook models so soon (Apple has announced the Scary Fast event for October 30, 2023, where it is expected to launch new Mac devices). The upcoming MacBooks are expected to feature the Apple M3 processors, which are said to be significantly faster than Apple M2 chipsets.
Kuo says that the bump in the performance will help Apple to sell MacBooks in higher numbers. However, if the company fails to improve the shipments of MacBooks even after introducing models with the M3 SoCs, the company will consider launching an all-new MacBook Pro in 2025. Simultaneously, the tech giant is also considering developing a more affordable version of the MacBook, with the intent to boost sales even further. Reportedly, Apple expects to ship between 8 and 10 million units of this laptop every year.
Low-cost MacBook might look premium
According to DigiTimes, the upcoming low-cost MacBook will have a metal outer appearance. The company might take this approach to make it look similar to the current MacBook models, keep it in line with the company’s design philosophy for laptops, and so that people can quickly make out that it is a MacBook, which would set it apart from the crowd. However, to keep the cost low, Apple will use “different materials”. Hopefully, we will get to know more about the upcoming affordable MacBook in the near future.
