Apple shipped 1.1 million MacBook Neo units in the first quarter of the year, according to IDC, making it one of the strongest Mac debut performances in recent memory (via TechCrunch).


The figure is particularly striking given that the laptop was only available for roughly three weeks of the period, having gone on sale in mid-March. Shipments began spiking from early April, suggesting the March tally understates underlying demand. By comparison, the M5 MacBook Air shipped over 900,000 units in its debut quarter, while the M5 MacBook Pro shipped 550,000.

Apple introduced the ‌MacBook Neo‌ in early March with a starting price of $599, which is roughly 45% below the entry-level ‌MacBook Air‌. The laptop features an aluminum chassis and a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, but uses an A18 Pro chip rather than an M-series processor, along with 8GB of RAM, to reach the lower price point.

Of the units shipped globally during the quarter, 44% went to the U.S., while India accounted for approximately 18,000 shipments despite the short availability window, with retailers reportedly struggling to secure adequate inventory.

Counterpoint Research said that the ‌MacBook Neo‌'s significance extends beyond its early sales, noting that it is helping Apple compete in lower-priced notebook segments where Macs have historically had little presence.

Although it is still early, the MacBook Neo launch stands out as one of Apple's most strategically important recent Mac releases, especially as the wider PC market deals with rising memory costs and "shrinkflation," while Apple is expanding its reach.

The ‌MacBook Neo‌ could eventually help Apple grow its share of the $400 to $699 notebook market from about 2% to around 15%. IDC believes the opportunity extends to consumer and small-business laptop segments beyond first-time buyers. The ‌MacBook Neo‌'s popularity could also displace some older models, including the M1, M2, and M3 ‌MacBook Air‌, which have historically driven volume in markets like India when sold at discounted prices during sales events.

The launch is already prompting responses from rivals. Dell this week unveiled a new XPS 13 laptop starting at $699, aimed at the same segment, citing the ‌MacBook Neo‌'s arrival as evidence of strong demand for premium-quality laptops at accessible prices. IDC forecasts a "very big spike" in ‌MacBook Neo‌ shipments in the current quarter as Apple works through supply constraints and expands availability.
This article, "MacBook Neo Outsold Every Other Mac in Its Debut Quarter" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is working on a split-screen app landscape adaptation feature for iOS 27, according to a known leaker.


In a new post on Weibo, the leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital" said Apple is developing a "Parallel View" capability for iOS, aimed at solving the platform's longstanding weakness with large-screen and landscape layouts. Parallel View is a feature in Huawei's HarmonyOS that automatically adapts smartphone apps for wide displays at the system level, without requiring developers to redesign their apps.

Fixed Focus Digital appears to be using the term as a reference point for the type of solution Apple is pursuing, rather than suggesting Apple is directly replicating Huawei's implementation. The leaker pointed to iPadOS as Apple's own existing example of the approach, noting that Apple already handles landscape adaptation at the system level on the iPad. iOS has never had an equivalent mechanism.

The feature appears to be aimed squarely at the foldable iPhone, whose 7.8-inch inner display will expose a fundamental limitation of iOS: virtually every iPhone app is designed for a tall, narrow screen. Without a system-level solution, those apps would appear letterboxed on the larger display. Fixed Focus Digital acknowledged that iOS is "indeed excellent" while noting its large-screen adaptation has consistently fallen short.

The claim corroborates earlier reporting from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who reported in March that ‌iOS 27‌ would support two apps side-by-side on the foldable iPhone's inner display, with an iPad-like layout and left-side navigation bars in supported apps.

Apple is expected to unveil ‌iOS 27‌ at WWDC 2026 later this month, ahead of a fall release alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models and the foldable iPhone.
This article, "iOS 27 Rumored to Include Split-Screen App Adaptation Feature" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's first foldable iPhone will feature an innovative liquid metal hinge and has now shipped prototype units to carriers around the world for testing, the leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital" today said.


In a new post on Weibo, Fixed Focus Digital said development and production related to the foldable are now "progressing rapidly." The claim arrives one day after the leaker reported that the foldable iPhone would feature vapor chamber cooling.

The liquid metal hinge detail is significant in light of the ongoing debate over the device's production difficulties. Earlier reports from the leaker known as "Instant Digital" attributed manufacturing problems to the hinge failing Apple's quality control standards under prolonged, high-frequency open-and-close testing. Fixed Focus Digital previously pushed back on that characterization, arguing the hinge was not the primary source of difficulty, and today's post appears to position the hinge as a resolved and confirmed element of the design.

Liquid metal is an amorphous metal alloy with a notably higher strength-to-weight ratio than conventional metals, along with superior resistance to corrosion and wear. Apple has used liquid metal in limited contexts before, most notably for the SIM ejector tool included with iPhones and for certain internal components, but its application in a structural hinge mechanism would be a far more demanding use of the material. The foldable iPhone is expected to fold and unfold hundreds of thousands of times over its lifespan, placing exceptional stress on the hinge, and liquid metal's durability properties make it a more capable material than conventional alloys.

Apple's history with liquid metal stretches back over 15 years. In 2010, Apple signed an exclusive deal with Liquidmetal Technologies, receiving a perpetual worldwide license to commercialize the material in consumer electronics. In the years that followed, the company used liquid metal only for minor components such as the SIM ejector tool, with the material proving difficult to scale for larger structural parts. Apple repeatedly renewed its arrangement with Liquidmetal Technologies, and the material has continued to surface in patent filings covering hinges and other moving parts.

Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo first reported in March 2025 that the foldable iPhone's hinge would use liquid metal, with Dongguan EonTec named as the exclusive supplier of the alloy. A subsequent January supply chain report corroborated the liquid metal hinge plans, but in April Fixed Focus Digital cast doubt on the material choice, claiming Apple was still weighing liquid metal against 3D-printed titanium alloy.

The claim that prototypes have reached global carriers for testing represents a meaningful milestone, suggesting the device is now sufficiently complete to undergo the network compatibility and carrier certification process that precedes commercial launch. DigiTimes reported in April that mass production was planned to begin in July, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported the device remains on track for a September debut alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, though he noted the timing was not yet final at the time of writing.

The foldable iPhone is expected to feature a 7.8-inch inner display, a 5.5-inch cover display, the A20 chip, the C2 modem, Touch ID in place of Face ID, and two rear cameras, with pricing rumored to start at around $2,000.
This article, "Leaker: Foldable 'iPhone Ultra' Will Feature Liquid Metal Hinge" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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