If you want the simplest and most affordable laptop from Apple, your best bet continues to be the Macbook Air with the M1 chip. Launched originally in 2020, the M1 MacBook Air continues to be a good option for college goers, casual users and professionals with lighter needs. However, with a starting price of USD 999, the MacBook Air continues to be elusive to those who want something at a much lower price. Google’s Chromebooks and several entry-level Windows laptops continue to be a popular choice among the school-going crowd as well as those who seek a computer for basic needs. Based on the recent MacBook Lite rumours though, it seems like Apple doesn’t want to miss out on this section of consumers anymore.
Considering the newest rumours from the Taiwanese media, there’s a possibility that Apple could have a more affordable MacBook lineup on the shelves by next year. While we don’t have any names or specific details regarding its features and specifications, this ‘MacBook Lite’ could kickstart a new lineup of cut-price MacBooks designed for those who otherwise would opt for a Google Chromebook or one of those affordable Windows laptops.
Has the idea of a MacBook Lite got you excited? Well, let’s take a quick look at everything we know about this low-cost MacBook.
Is the MacBook Lite happening?
As the launch of a potential MacBook Lite is purely based on speculation right now, everything you read about it should be taken with a pinch of salt.
A recent report from DigiTimes suggests that Apple is working on a new product line of MacBook laptops. This laptop lineup will be sitting under the company’s existing Air and Pro series of laptops, with prices expected to remain under the threshold of USD 1,000.
Despite the lower prices, Apple is expected to carry on with a metal casing for the laptop’s lid though the material used will be different from what we have seen on the MacBook Air and Pro laptops. The cost of the mechanical components is also said to be lower than existing MacBook models.
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How will this new MacBook series affect the MacBook Air and iPad Pro?
Given that Apple’s target audience for this sub-USD 1,000 laptop will largely be the school-going crowd, this MacBook Lite could end up being smaller and more compact than the 13-inch MacBook Air M1. A couple of years ago, Apple had a 12-inch MacBook on sale to bridge the gap between the 13-inch MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro models. Back then, Apple relied on Intel’s processors and gave this compact MacBook a 7th Gen Intel Core m3 processor. The compact dimensions allowed for a 12-inch Retina display with thick bezels and a frameless keyboard.
Apple usually has a habit of reusing its old platforms to keep costs low, something we’ve recently seen with the iPhone SE lineup as well as the base iPad models. With the Apple M3 chip expected to be announced later in 2023 for the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro, Apple could repurpose the original M1 chip for the MacBook Lit and stuff it inside the 12-inch MacBook’s body. Even if Apple manages to offer only 12 hours of battery life, this MacBook Lite could be a worthy alternative to the Chromebook laptops that suffer from lower storage and a total dependence on Google’s cloud computing.
Can you imagine a compact 12-inch MacBook Lite with a M1 chip selling at a price of USD 800? We hope the product heads at Apple are listening.
What happens to the iPad Pro?
The iPad Pro has always offered a platform best suited for creators who seek a touchscreen interface, can work with mobile versions of desktop apps and services, seek portability over raw computing power and can spend more on basic accessories like a keyboard and the Apple Pencil. Even with the upcoming iPadOS 17 update, the iPad Pro will continue to be a tablet first and will always be inferior to even the cheapest of Macbooks as far as basic computing is concerned. As such, this rumoured MacBook Lite could continue to coexist with the iPad Pro devices in a similar price range.
{Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Dmitry Chernyshov via Unsplash (Representational Image)}
