Overview
- Apple is weighing the removal of the 256GB MacBook Neo, which would make the 512GB model the new entry point at $699, according to a report by columnist Tim Culpan cited by MacRumors and iPhone in Canada.
- The company is also considering new color options for the current Neo to keep interest high if prices go up, the same report says.
- Stronger-than-expected demand pushed Apple to ask suppliers to prepare capacity for 10 million units this year, up from an earlier 5–6 million, with shipping estimates now two to three weeks in many countries.
- Meeting that goal requires more A18 Pro chips from TSMC, whose 3nm lines are tight because AI customers are using much of the output, and a shift from earlier binned chips to fully functional parts plus higher DRAM prices is lifting build costs.
- Apple executives say the Neo is drawing new Mac customers and gaining traction in schools, with an example of a U.S. district moving students from Chromebooks and Windows laptops to the Neo.