macOS 26.3 hints at Apple's rumored lower-cost MacBook, and two new Studio Display models, according to Macworld's Filipe Espósito.


Espósito found the following codenames within macOS 26.3's source code, and he revealed the upcoming products that they likely correspond with, based on previous reporting from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and others.

The codenames:

• J700: Lower-cost MacBook


• J427: A new Studio Display


• J527: A new, higher-end Studio Display

This is far from the first time that these codenames have been spotted in Apple's software updates. According to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris, the codenames were also present in updates such as macOS 26.2 and iOS 18.5 last year.

As more and more hints stack up, it is clear that all three products are inching closer to release.

The prevailing assumption is that Apple will unveil the lower-cost MacBook as part of three days of new product announcements in the first week of March. The media would then receive hands-on time with the laptop during the "Apple Experience" in New York, London, and Shanghai on Wednesday, March 4 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time.

The new Studio Displays are expected to be released in the first half of 2026, but it is unclear if they will be part of the announcements in the first week of March.


The lower-cost MacBook is rumored to be powered by a version of the iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip, rather than an M-series chip. The laptop will apparently be available in a variety of bright colors, such as yellow, green, blue, and/or pink. Other rumored specs include a 12.9-inch display and 8GB of RAM. The starting price remains to be seen, with estimates ranging from $599 to $799 in the United States.

The lower-cost MacBook would be an all-new model positioned below the MacBook Air, and it would mark a revival of the "MacBook" brand (with no "Air" or "Pro" designation). Apple sold an Intel-based 12-inch "MacBook" from 2015 to 2019.

At least one of the new Studio Display models is rumored to feature a 27-inch screen with mini-LED backlighting, up to a 90Hz or 120Hz refresh rate, HDR support, and an A19 chip or A19 Pro chip. No major design changes are expected.

If the next Studio Display receives mini-LED backlighting and HDR support, its maximum brightness and contrast ratio would be higher than the current model. And a newer A19 or A19 Pro chip — up from the A13 Bionic currently — should contribute to performance improvements, camera-related enhancements, and more.

There are no details about the second Studio Display. Presumably, it would be a higher-end model, and we can only dream of a larger 32-inch screen size.

The current Studio Display launched in March 2022, alongside the first Mac Studio. It has a 27-inch screen without mini-LED backlighting, a 5K resolution, a 60Hz refresh rate, up to 600 nits brightness, a built-in camera and speakers, one Thunderbolt 3 port, and three USB-C ports. In the U.S., pricing starts at $1,599.
This article, "Three Upcoming Apple Products Seemingly Spotted in macOS 26.3 Code" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple tested color options for the 2022 MacBook Air redesign that are said to be similar to the finishes planned for its forthcoming low-cost MacBook, according to a Chinese leaker.


Apple is expected to announce its rumored low-cost MacBook at an event on March 4, with the device coming in a selection of bold color options that are believed to include yellow, green, and blue – as seen on Apple's invite graphic.

In a post on Weibo, the account known as "Instant Digital" says Apple originally planned to offer the same kind of light, playful color scheme for the MacBook Air with M2 chip.

Indeed, back in October 2021, a proven leaker claimed the redesigned MacBook Air would come in color options that are similar to the 24-inch iMac, but it didn't happen. The model eventually dropped in July 2022 in silver, starlight, space gray, and midnight colors.

Writing in his Power On newsletter over the weekend, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the colors Apple has tested for its budget MacBook so far include light yellow, light green, blue, pink, classic silver, and dark gray, although he says it's unlikely all of them will ship.

If the colorful palette is unveiled, it would make the budget MacBook the most colorful laptop Apple has offered since the iBook G3 era in the late 90s. Apple offered the machines in Tangerine, Blueberry, Indigo, Graphite, and Key Lime.

As previously reported by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the low-cost machine will retail for well under $1,000 and run an iPhone chip – potentially the A18 Pro – rather than an M-series processor. It will feature a slightly-under-13-inch display and an aluminum chassis, which is being built using a new, faster manufacturing process that Apple developed to keep costs down, according to Gurman.

Apple is believed to be trying to compete with Chromebooks, targeting the budget MacBook at students and enterprise users. Earlier this week, Apple announced a "special Apple Experience" for the media in New York, London, and Shanghai, taking place on March 4, 2026 at 9:00am ET, when we're hoping to get a glimpse of the new machine.
This article, "Rumored Colors for Low-Cost MacBook Were Originally Tested for 2022 MacBook Air Redesign" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's older MacBook Air with the M1 chip is now out of stock on Walmart's website in the U.S., amid rumors of a new lower-cost MacBook coming soon.


Walmart first began selling the MacBook Air with the M1 chip for $699 in March 2024. The price later dropped to $649, then to $599, and briefly to as low as $549 during a Black Friday sale last year. However, we just noticed that it has been out of stock for a while now, and there is no indication if it will ever be returning.

Apple first released the MacBook Air with the M1 chip in November 2020, as one of the first Macs with an Apple silicon chip, instead of an Intel processor. The configuration being sold by Walmart for as low as $549 included 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. They were new-in-box units, not refurbished or open-box models. Walmart's website continues to offer refurbished units from "trusted sellers" for as low as $449.

Apple discontinued the MacBook Air with the M1 chip in 2024, after it launched models with the M3 chip, and it has since updated the MacBook Air with the M4 chip. Prior to being discontinued, the model with the M1 chip was being sold for a starting price of $999 brand new, but Amazon sometimes offered it on sale for $749 to $899.

The laptop going out of stock at Walmart could be a hint.

Apple plans to release a lower-priced MacBook with a version of the iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip as early as the first week of March, according to several reports and leakers. This would be an all-new model positioned below the MacBook Air in the Mac lineup, and it would mark a revival of the "MacBook" brand (with no "Air" or "Pro" designation).

Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo was first to reveal that Apple is allegedly planning a more affordable MacBook. Last year, he said the laptop would have around a 13-inch display and come in fun colors, like green, blue, pink, and/or yellow. A few rumors have specifically said it will have a 12.9-inch screen.

The lower-cost MacBook could have a lot in common with the discontinued 12-inch MacBook, including an ultra-thin and lightweight design. However, that model was powered by Intel processors. Apple stopped selling the 12-inch MacBook in July 2019, so there has been a long wait for a similar model powered by Apple silicon.

In the iPhone 16 Pro, the A18 Pro chip has a 6-core CPU and a 6-core GPU. The chip's multi-core performance is similar to the M1 chip, so this new MacBook could effectively be a replacement for the MacBook Air with the M1 chip, and that could explain why it is finally out of stock at Walmart ahead of the lower-cost MacBook launching.

Skyrocketing DRAM and NAND storage chip prices may have been a factor too, though.

With the A18 Pro chip, the lower-cost 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.
This article, "M1 MacBook Air Out of Stock at Walmart as Lower-Cost MacBook Nears" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums