Kuo: Apple Considering Low-Cost MacBook Launch in 2024

[boak]

An A series chip/old M chip MacBook limited to 8 GB RAM + 128/256/512 GB storage should have little cannibalisation on existing Macs.

Limited storage options also provides monetisation opportunities for Apple to sell iCloud plans.

 

[TigerNike23]

If the 12” were to happen, once again Apple is falling into Samsung territory with too many products.

12, 13, 14, 15, 16

That’s 5 different SKUs. Is there a market demand for 5?

 

[BrightDarkSky]

I want a low cost MacBook that has enough memory and storage (for swap space) for the Adobe suite. The processor in even the M1 is enough, but the memory and storage is a serious limitation and upping those makes the MacBook not cheap.

Yeah I'm pushing my PC base bro to get one of the older M ones to kick around with but the challenges finding one with at least half of a gigabyte of memory and 16 GB of RAM if humanly possible is a tough one. Trying to get him to understand that it's a entry-level book with great processor and just take it for what it is use it for a couple years. The challenge is keeping those costs down with Apple and thier low end shenanigans.

 

[TheArturro]

If an iPhone SE has the form factor of the smallest last-generation device, but with updated CPU,

And an Apple Watch SE has the form factor of the last-generation device, but with updated CPU,

Then a MacBook SE would be the current M1 13" MacBook Air with an updated CPU (M3).

$749?

Give it 8GB of memory (option to upgrade to 16GB) and 256GB SSD (max upgrade 512GB) and I'd buy it today if I had the money.

Apple these days, never buy anything “low cost” from them. You just get worse value for the money. Those products exist to just to upsell the “Pro” models.

I beg to differ. I am using a base model 2017 nTB MBP and while dated (thanks to Apple's move to MX chips) still works fine for me. I also used to have a 1st gen iPhone SE (still used by mom) and it was great.

I'd say that most people I know actually use "low cost" options from Apple and are happy. Most people don't need the pro-motion display, 3rd camera lens etc.

The main point of Apple is it's user experience and ecosystem.

They need a laptop at the sub $1k price, even if it is at a loss so as to capture new customers into the eco system.

Even if they did a laptop at that price point it won't be at a loss. Apple has huge profit margins on their hardware.

Still I can't really picture a realistic MacBook SE without making it either worse than an iPad or cannibalizing MacBook Air sales (or simply making MacBook Air even more expensive than it is).

Funny enough, a new iPhone SE is also rumored for 2024. Maybe we'll have a whole event dedicated to "SE" gear?

 

[ignatius345]

People can dump on the idea all they want.....when my '09 MBP bit the dust, I replaced it with a 11" MBA with the 4/128 combo - thing was an absolute *champ* up until I replaced it with a M2 MBA last summer

The 11" MBA was one of my all-time favorite Macs. I had two or three of them over their lifespan and they were just such troopers. If one of those came out with a modern display and an Apple Silicon processor I'd pounce on it immediately.

 

[diskrisk]

This has been making sense since Apple Silicon got announced mid-2020. Grab the 12” MacBook, slap an M1 on it, drill another hole for a 2nd usb-c port and call it MacBook SE, $699. DONE. hell, change the name of the MacBook Air to just MacBook to simplify the lineup.

 

[canon-cinema-0r]

If the 12” were to happen, once again Apple is falling into Samsung territory with too many products.

12, 13, 14, 15, 16

That’s 5 different SKUs. Is there a market demand for 5?

12 (and 14?) for Airs, 14 and 16 for Pros, and 14 for Macbooks. Air 15 is a laughing stock, and the only reason the Pro 13 still exists is the outrageous pricing for that ugly baking tray with a notch called the Pro. Just start the Pro 14 at M3 and put a botched design discount on it to make the Pro 13 redundant.

 

[dgdosen]

An A series chip/old M chip MacBook limited to 8 GB RAM + 128/256/512 GB storage should have little cannibalisation on existing Macs.

Limited storage options also provides monetisation opportunities for Apple to sell iCloud plans.

Apple's margins are lower on the base models. Of course they'd be happy for people to buy BTO machines with high-margin memory and storage.

 

[boak]

Apple's margins are lower on the base models. Of course they'd be happy for people to buy BTO machines with high-margin memory and storage.

That’s where the MBA comes in. Force them to upgrade the chip as well.

 

[tipoo]

Not sure if that's feasible with no active cooling

They have M1 in an iPad.

 

[Dr32Degrees]

I would think that any "budget" MacBook is going to be a dumbed down Air.

Weakest and cheapest MacBook you can buy is £999 and has an M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB, 13" display.

I honestly would be surprised if they kept the M1 but they might surprise us and go with M2. RAM will probably be 6-8GB. Storage could be 128GB especially if they intend to make it like a chromebook and have you do everything in a browser. Screen will be 12" most likely.

You've mentioned "6-8gb RAM" in two successive posts...can you show me any MacBook released in the last 20+ years that came stock with 6gb RAM?

 

[boak]

They have M1 in an iPad.

which has an aluminium shell

 

[picpicmac]

The analyst said Mac shipments have declined due to the "limited M2 computing power upgrade,"

As I noted in yesterday's post on the same topic, Kuo is just pulling this out of his ass.

Laptop sales are down across the board.

It has to do with changing needs around the globe.

In my lament over the slow cadence of iMac revisions, what really matters in this world are 1) cost, and 2) durability/longevity.

Personal computing is now a mature market. The market now is one of replacement and surviving changes in the global economy.

 

[tipoo]

which has an aluminium shell

It could be a bit thicker and go back to the aluminum heat block the M1 MBA had, where the M2 got rid of most cooling. I can't see that being less cooling than what can be dissipated out the back of an iPad without exceeding skin temperature regulations.

 

[makitango]

I‘d buy in an instant if it were a widescreen laptop like the MBA 11-inch.

 

[Michael Scrip]

If the 12” were to happen, once again Apple is falling into Samsung territory with too many products.

12, 13, 14, 15, 16

That’s 5 different SKUs. Is there a market demand for 5?

To be fair... two of those five SKUs would be $2,000+

But there are some people who will never spend $2,000+ on a laptop... thus leaving them with only 3 models to choose from.

Is having more models at a lower price really that bad? Or confusing?

I know people like to say "Apple has too many products"

But have you seen how many laptops Dell, HP, and Lenovo have? It'll make your head explode!

🤣

 

[TigerNike23]

To be fair... two of those five SKUs would be $2,000+

But there are some people who will never spend $2,000+ on a laptop... thus leaving them with only 3 models to choose from.

Is having more models at a lower price really that bad? Or confusing?

I know people like to say "Apple has too many products"

But have you seen how many laptops Dell, HP, and Lenovo have? It'll make your head explode!

🤣

Gil Amelio? Is that you?

All kidding aside. One consumer, one pro. That’s it. Call it a day.

 

[Michael Scrip]

One consumer, one pro. That’s it. Call it a day.

So wait... are you saying Apple should only offer two laptops period?

And what sizes should they be?

Everyone can't get by with a small laptop... nor can everyone get by with a big laptop.

That's why there are models that come in different sizes.

Right now, as you said, there are models in 13", 14", 15" and 16"

Is that too many? And why?

🤔

 

[sideshowuniqueuser]

That is the M1 Air...

[deleted] Why doesn't MacRumors let you delete your own comment? So weird.

 

[sideshowuniqueuser]

I'm totally fine with people wanting, and getting, a 12" MBA if they want it. But can I please have a 16" MBA?

Yeah, I want the max possible sized laptop screen. But without the unnecessary thickness and weight of the 16" MBP, nor the massive overkill Pro chip, nor the fan, nor the extra price tag for all that dead weight.

 

[svish]

Not sure whether Apple will release a new model. Apple could simply reduce the price of the previous generation Air to a much lower level.

 

[TheArturro]

To be fair... two of those five SKUs would be $2,000+

But there are some people who will never spend $2,000+ on a laptop... thus leaving them with only 3 models to choose from.

Is having more models at a lower price really that bad? Or confusing?

I know people like to say "Apple has too many products"

But have you seen how many laptops Dell, HP, and Lenovo have? It'll make your head explode!

🤣

I think the issue people have is that MacBook Airs aren't in the same sizes as MacBook Pros. Just make the Air 14 and 16 inch like the Pro, but ofc keep it passive-cooled, worse display and weaker chip.

Then they could just make this MacBook SE (or whatever it's gonna be called) 12 inch with the same PPI as MBA, maybe a downclocked M3, and limit it to a maximum of 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD (base model should come with 8/256 or unlikely even 6/128 to further differentiate it from MBA). And *bam* you have a "cheap" MacBook that is perfect for university or someone travelling a lot, that doesn't have a need for a lot of computing power.

 

[Michael Scrip]

I think the issue people have is that MacBook Airs aren't in the same sizes as MacBook Pros. Just make the Air 14 and 16 inch like the Pro, but ofc keep it passive-cooled, worse display and weaker chip.

But that wouldn't solve the "too many SKUs" problem from the earlier comment... 🤣

Then they could just make this MacBook SE (or whatever it's gonna be called) 12 inch with the same PPI as MBA, maybe a downclocked M3, and limit it to a maximum of 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD (base model should come with 8/256 or unlikely even 6/128 to further differentiate it from MBA). And *bam* you have a "cheap" MacBook that is perfect for university or someone travelling a lot, that doesn't have a need for a lot of computing power.

Yeah it'll be interesting to see if Apple goes down the "cheap" Macbook road by introducing a new model.

But I can already hear people say "Apple makes too many products!"

 

[TheArturro]

Yeah it'll be interesting to see if Apple goes down the "cheap" Macbook road by introducing a new model.

But I can already hear people say "Apple makes too many products!"

But they kind of do actually. Maybe not with Macs, but iPhones and iPads certainly.

I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but it can be confusing for a not so tech-savy customer.

 

[Michael Scrip]

But they kind of do actually. Maybe not with Macs, but iPhones and iPads certainly.

I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but it can be confusing for a not so tech-savvy customer.

Yeah I don't think it's bad.

Try buying a product from another company.

Dell has 10 different categories for laptops... some with dozens of models. Yikes!

🤣

There are a lot of people here who think Apple should go back to "Steve's Quadrant" of just four Macs.

But that was in 1997. The industry has changed. The world has changed.