Apple secretly working on a more affordable MacBook with iPhone chip, launch likely by 2026
We might soon get a MacBook with an iPhone chip. If reports are to be believed, Apple is currently working on a new addition to its MacBook lineup: a more affordable model powered by the iPhone's A-series silicon instead of its traditional M-series chips. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the company is planning to begin mass production of its new, budget-friendly MacBook by late 2025 or early 2026.advertisementIn his latest post on X, Kuo reveals that the affordable MacBook would use the A18 Pro chip — the same chip powering the iPhone 16 Pro series. It is also expected to feature a 13-inch display and could be offered in multiple casing colours, including silver, blue, pink, and yellow. 'Expected to enter mass production in late 4Q25 or early 1Q26, with an approximately 13-inch display and powered by the A18 Pro processor. Potential casing colours include silver, blue, pink, and yellow,' he writes in his post on X (formerly Twitter).Kuo also estimates that Apple will ship between 5–7 million units of the new MacBook with the A18 Pro chip in 2026. In 2025, MacBook sales are estimated to reach around 20 million units. 'Apple aims to return total MacBook shipments to the COVID-19 peak of around 25 million units in 2026 (vs. an estimated 20 million units in 2025).'More affordable than the MacBook Airadvertisement
Currently, Apple's entry-level notebook PC is the MacBook Air, priced at Rs 99,900. However, the rumoured MacBook with an A-series chip is expected to fall below that price point, although Kuo's report does not specify how much cheaper it will be.A18 Pro chip in the iPhone 16 ProMeanwhile, Apple has not yet hinted at the possibility of an affordable MacBook or Mac with the A18 Pro chip. However, it's possible the company is aiming to introduce a new foldable MacBook — similar to A-series chip iPads — to reach a more budget-friendly market segment. This would also mark the first time a MacBook features an A-series chip rather than the Mac-specific M-series, which debuted with the M1 in 2020 and now powers all current Macs.That said, the A18 Pro chip is no slouch. Apple introduced the A18 Pro last year with the iPhone 16 Pro series. The company called this chip 'the brains behind Apple Intelligence,' highlighting its significantly improved CPU and GPU, a 16-core Neural Engine, and up to 2x faster ray-tracing capabilities compared to the A17 Pro chip.Apple highlights that the A18 Pro's Neural Engine, in particular, is designed to accelerate on-device machine learning tasks, making it well-suited to Apple's increasing focus on AI-driven features. So, with the A18 Pro chip in a Mac, we could see an affordable MacBook that also offers access to Apple Intelligence features.- Ends
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