Already in the first half of next year, a Mac computer from Apple should appear on the market, which will be new for its price. This was reported by Bloomberg, citing informed sources.
The new device should be intended for students, companies and occasional users. It will be aimed at people who primarily use the Internet, work with documents, or do some light media editing. Apple will also target potential iPad buyers who would prefer a traditional laptop.
According to sources, the device is codenamed J700. It is currently being actively tested in the company and is in the early stages of production with foreign suppliers. The move will represent a strategic shift for Apple, which has traditionally focused on premium devices with high profit margins. The company has also long emphasized that it will not try to gain market share by offering cheap devices.
The new device should cost significantly less than $1,000 (CZK 21,200) because it will use less advanced components. It is supposed to use a processor from an iPhone and a lower-end LCD screen. The screen will also be smaller than that of current Macs, so the diagonal will be smaller than the 13.6 inches (34.5 cm) of the MacBook Air. It will be the first time Apple uses an iPhone processor in a Mac instead of a chip designed specifically for computers. Internal tests have shown that the chip from the smartphone is more powerful than the M1 chip that Apple used in its notebooks a few years ago.
The company previously experimented with selling a discounted MacBook Air with an M1 processor for less than $700 through Walmart stores and other retailers. However, the upcoming model will have a completely new design, so it won’t just be a cheaper older device.
Apple’s cheapest computer right now is the $999 MacBook Air with an M4 processor. Its price can be reduced to $899 with educational discounts. Chromebooks sell for just a few hundred dollars, the premium version can cost $600.
In US schools, a popular combination is a basic Apple iPad with a Magic Keyboard Folio case, which together cost about $600. A new Mac could be in the same price range, but offer better battery life, more flexibility with macOS software, and an integrated keyboard. That could appeal to students and other consumers, Bloomberg added.
Apple had a nine percent share of the global PC market in the third quarter, according to IDC. It thus finished in fourth place behind Lenovo, HP and Dell.
