Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, according to TrendForce.


In a press release this week, the Taiwanese research firm said this MacBook will be aimed at the entry-level to mid-range market, with "competitive pricing."

TrendForce did not share any further details about this MacBook, but the information that it shared lines up with several rumors about a more affordable MacBook, which is expected to be equipped with a version of the iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip. Apple is expected to release the laptop by March or April of this year.

In the U.S., the entry-level MacBook is expected to have a starting price between $599 and $899, with $699 or $799 being most likely. It would slot in below the MacBook Air, which starts at $999 (but is frequently on sale on Amazon for as low as $749).

A18 Pro specs include a 6-core CPU, a 6-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. The chip's performance is similar to the M1 chip, so this new MacBook could effectively be a replacement for the old MacBook Air with the M1 chip, which Apple still sells through Walmart for $599 and even as low as $549 during a recent Black Friday sale.

With an A18 Pro chip, this MacBook might have only 8GB of RAM, whereas all current MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models start with at least 16GB of RAM. The chip also lacks Thunderbolt support, so the new MacBook would likely be equipped with regular USB-C ports, with slower data transfer speeds and external display limitations.

Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo was first to reveal that Apple is allegedly planning a more affordable MacBook. In June, he said the laptop will have around a 13-inch display, and the A18 Pro chip. Kuo said potential color options include silver, blue, pink, and yellow, so it could come in bright colors like the iMac.

Taiwanese supply chain publication DigiTimes later exclusively reported that this MacBook will be equipped with a 12.9-inch display like some current or past iPad Air and iPad Pro models, whereas the MacBook Air has a slightly larger 13.6-inch display.

TrendForce appears to be siding with the 12.9-inch display size.

The lower-cost MacBook could have a lot in common with the discontinued 12-inch MacBook, including an ultra-thin and lightweight design. Hopefully, it is announced within the next few months, following endless rumors from several sources.
This article, "Low-Price 12.9-Inch MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Reportedly Launching Early This Year" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today reiterated that a more affordable MacBook powered by an iPhone processor is slated to enter mass production in the fourth quarter of 2025, which points towards a late 2025 or early 2026 launch.


Below, we recap the rumors about the lower-priced MacBook so far.

Kuo was first to reveal that Apple is allegedly planning a more affordable MacBook. In late June, he said the laptop would have around a 13-inch display, and an A18 Pro chip. Kuo said potential color options include silver, blue, pink, and yellow, so the laptop could come in bright colors, like 2021-and-newer models of the 24-inch iMac.

This time around, he only mentioned the MacBook will have an unspecific iPhone processor. Apple recently introduced the A19 Pro chip, which has 12GB of RAM, so it will be interesting to see if the lower-cost MacBook uses that chip instead. The entire Mac lineup has started with at least 16GB of RAM since last year, with the only option with 8GB being the MacBook with an M1 chip, which is sold exclusively by Walmart for $599.

The A18 Pro offers similar performance as the M1 chip, so Apple might opt to save the A19 Pro for the second-generation lower-cost MacBook. Kuo anticipates that follow-up model will be released in 2027, with specs still not finalized.

Taiwanese supply chain publication DigiTimes expects the laptop to have a starting price of between $599 and $699 in the United States.

The publication said the lower-cost MacBook will be equipped with a 12.9-inch display, and a version of the A18 Pro chip that debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro models last year. It would become the first Mac to ever use an A-series chip from an iPhone.

The lower-cost MacBook could launch in late 2025 or early 2026, that report said.

Notably, the A18 Pro and A19 Pro lack Thunderbolt support, so the MacBook would likely be equipped with regular USB-C ports. They would look the same as Thunderbolt ports, but data transfer speeds would be limited to up to 10 Gbps. The laptop would natively support only a single external display, but that limitation can be overcome with DisplayLink adapters.

The lower-cost MacBook could have a lot in common with the discontinued 12-inch MacBook, including an ultra-thin and lightweight design. It would slot in below the MacBook Air, which has a slightly larger 13.6-inch display, an M4 chip, and a starting price of $999. However, the latest MacBook Air is sometimes on sale on Amazon for as low as $799.

Apple often announces new Macs in October, so perhaps the lower-cost MacBook will debut next month. Otherwise, March 2026 is the next likely timeframe.
This article, "$599 MacBook With iPhone Chip Expected to Enter Production This Year" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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