From CNET: Apple may be releasing more affordable Mac laptops to compete with Chromebooks and budget-friendly Windows laptops as early as 2026, according to a report. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports the company has plans to roll out a machine for "well under $1,000."
According to Gurman, the new laptop is already in early production under the codename J700. This matches earlier rumors that a low-cost MacBook Air was in the pipeline at around $599, which would allow Apple to directly compete with other cheap laptops, including Chromebooks and Windows PCs.
The report says that costs will be kept down by using a lower-end LCD that's smaller than the 13.6-inch MacBook Air, potentially making the new affordable MacBook as small as 12 inches.
Another way Apple could reduce the cost is by using an A-series iPhone chip, which falls short of the top-tier performance offered by the MacBook Pro or the current M4 Air. The upcoming chip may be a variant of the A19 Pro chip that debuted with the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air, which Apple says is capable of MacBook-level performance.
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