Kuo: Apple to release cheaper MacBook powered by iPhone processor

Apple’s current entry-level laptop is the $999 MacBook Air, but analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple is aiming to launch an even more affordable model soon.

He writes on X that Apple will go into production in late 2025 or early 2026 on a new MacBook model that will be powered by the A18 Pro chip, rather than an M-series processor. This is the same chip used in the iPhone 16 Pro line. The machine may feature colorful casing options, including silver, pink and yellow.

Unfortunately, it isn’t yet clear how much more affordable this model will actually be. Kuo says Apple is targeting production in the 5-7 million unit range for 2026, which would represent a significant portion of overall Mac laptop shipments. This suggests a pretty dramatic price point to attract such high volume of sales.