A new Bloomberg report reveals that Apple is planning to launch a new and especially cheap MacBook that will appeal to a much wider audience than the one targeted by the current MacBook models – and especially to the market currently dominated by low-cost Windows computers and Google’s Chromebook computers. According to the publication, the new computer is expected to reach the market in the first half of 2026 and be powered by a chip originating from the iPhone, rather than one of the M-series chips that currently power the company’s computers. This is a surprising move for Apple, which for years maintained a clear separation between its processor lines, but now chooses to blur the boundaries in order to expand its user base and penetrate the education market and small businesses – areas where Google and Microsoft currently enjoy a clear advantage.
According to the report, the computer will include a simpler LCD screen, slightly smaller than 13.6 inches, which is the screen size of the current MacBook Air model, and will be sold at a price significantly lower than $1,000. The price is expected to be similar to the combined cost of a basic iPad and a Magic Keyboard Folio, which totals only about $600. Bloomberg reports that the computer will have an entirely new design and will be aimed mainly at daily use, for students, and for workers in the business sector who are looking for a light, reliable, and inexpensive computer – without giving up the Apple ecosystem experience. According to estimates, this is a clear attempt by Apple to break its image as a company that offers only premium products, and to compete directly with manufacturers that offer low-cost laptops for young users and educational institutions.
Internal Apple tests showed that the chip intended for the new iPhone manages to deliver better performance than the M1 chip, which powered the company’s computers only a few years ago. Apple’s latest announcement already hinted at this move: During the launch event of the iPhone 16 series, the company emphasized that the A18 Pro processor powering the new devices delivers performance nearly identical to that of the advanced processors in its Mac computers. In doing so, Apple essentially prepared the ground for its next major step – using the same chip in a low-cost laptop, which will allow it to leverage the power of iPhone chip development to significantly reduce production costs.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo already reported earlier this year that Apple is developing a low-cost MacBook model that will include the A18 Pro chip and will be offered in a variety of colors including silver, blue, pink, and yellow. If these reports materialize, this would be a move that could change the landscape of the laptop market: Apple may enter a field where until now it did not have significant footing, and take a bite out of the market share of Chromebooks and basic Windows computers that are sold in huge quantities worldwide.
Alongside the report about the new model, Bloomberg adds that Apple has already completed work on a new MacBook Air model that will include its M5 chip and is expected to reach the market early next year. In addition, the company is developing more advanced versions – a MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips – that will focus on high performance and the professional market. If everything goes according to plan, 2026 may become Apple’s most important year in the computer sector in the past decade – a year in which the company will not only continue to refine its premium products, but also open a door to a new user base that until now has found itself left out of the Mac world.