Apple Prepares Budget Mac Launch, Targets Low-Cost Laptop Market
Apple is preparing to launch a budget Mac in the first half of next year, marking its first entry into the low-cost laptop market, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday. This new device aims to attract customers currently using Google's Chromebooks and entry-level Windows personal computers.
The new Mac is designed for students, businesses, and casual users who primarily browse the web, work on documents, or conduct light media editing. It also targets potential iPad buyers who might prefer a traditional laptop experience.
Codenamed J700, Apple aims to sell the laptop well under USD 1,000 by utilising less advanced components, the report said. The device is currently undergoing active testing at Apple and is in early production phases with overseas suppliers.
This upcoming model will feature an iPhone processor and a lower-end liquid crystal display. Its screen will measure slightly below 13.6 inches, the smallest of any current Mac, per the report.
It would be the first instance of Apple incorporating an iPhone processor into a Mac, rather than a chip specifically designed for a computer, the report said. Internal tests indicate that this smartphone chip can outperform the Mac-optimised M1 processor used in laptops only a few years ago.
Apple reported Mac sales of USD 8.73 billion in the fourth quarter, surpassing estimates of USD 8.59 billion. The organisation also forecast holiday-quarter iPhone sales and overall revenue that exceeded Wall Street expectations last month.
Apple plans to launch a budget Mac in the first half of next year.
The device, codenamed J700, will target the low-cost laptop market, priced under USD 1,000.
It is intended for students, businesses, and casual users, featuring an iPhone processor and a screen slightly below 34.5 centimetres.
Source: REUTERS
