Offer consumers the option of a MacBook for just a few hundred dollars, and many of them are going to take it. Even education pricing for the base model MacBook Air costs $899 (albeit with a $150 gift card offer at present). If someone decides they do want a laptop form factor rather than an iPad, Apple pricing starts at $999. It’s undoubtedly the case that a significant number of consumers with undemanding needs have been able to buy a base-level iPad with a keyboard, instead of a MacBook.īut a Chromebook-level low-cost MacBook would be an entirely different level of risk. That’s why it has increasingly blurred the lines between iPads and MacBooks, claiming that both are computers. Sure, Apple has claimed that it never worries about cannibalizing its own products, because if it doesn’t, someone else will. (The more distant history is discussed below.)Įven here, it has struggled to gain too much traction – again, because even iPads are competing with Chromebooks, which offer more flexible use, at a lower cost. Apple’s recent education efforts have focused on the iPadĪpple’s recent attempts to make inroads into the education sector have been focused on iPads rather than Macs. Yes, Macs come with a range of free productivity apps, and yes, Apple has iCloud, but meeting the specific needs of the education sector is a whole other ballgame. An entire infrastructure has grown up around Chromebooks and Google services, creating significant barriers to entry for any competing OS, even Windows. The ultra-budget market is just not Apple. It’s hard to imagine Apple getting the cost of any MacBook remotely close to this point, no matter what compromises it makes on materials and components. The type of Chromebook models used within schools are typically ultra-affordable models, which can cost less than $200 each even at retail prices. Let’s take this a step at a time… Competing with Chromebooks would be a huge undertakingįirst, even the report acknowledges that trying to compete with the Chromebook market in the education sector would be a monumentally challenging task. That’s it: a claim based on unspecified “industry sources,” and no sign of it in the supply chain. Major suppliers Quanta Computer and Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn) show no signs of related activity therefore, chances the product would launch in the first half of 2024 are unlikely. The unit price of the mechanical components will be lower, allowing for a more affordable price aimed at the education market, similar to the positioning of Chromebooks The outer appearance will still use a metal casing but made of different materials. Sources said Apple will likely launch a new product line for its low-cost MacBooks to differentiate it from the existing MacBook Air and Pro lines. The Digitimes report is extremely light on details, and the basis for the claim is unclear as it specifically says that there is no sign of the devices in the production supply chain. It suggests Apple is seeking to compete with Chromebooks, and could launch the new models as soon as the second half of 2024… Low-cost MacBook claim The software should also see further improvements to make it more macOS-like.A very sketchy report claims that Apple is planning to make an ultra low-cost MacBook series for the education sector, at what is implied to be a substantially lower price point than the entry-level MacBook Air. As I said recently, the hardware upgrades might not be enough to turn the iPad Pro into the laptop killer it could be. Whatever the case, it’s clear that Apple wants to make the iPad Pro a much better computer, both when it comes to performance and overall experience. The OLED upgrade could also increase the price of the new iPad Pro models next year, but that’s just speculation. But the product might always be more expensive, considering the changes. It’ll also feature one USB-C port, just like the current model.įinally, the aluminum Magic Keyboard shouldn’t be much heavier than the current model. The reporter adds that the Magic Keyboard’s exterior shell will retain the current model’s cover material when closed. Gurman says the current model is prone to bending and tearing at the edges. Secondly, aluminum should increase the durability of the keyboard. Therefore, it’ll look like a premium product. First, using aluminum will make the keyboard look more like the MacBook. Image source: Christian de Looper for BGRĪpple has two objectives with the new iPad Pro keyboard.
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