Overview
- Apple, which analysts said Thursday asked suppliers to prepare capacity for about 10 million Neo units, is commissioning a fresh run of A18 Pro chips to meet demand.
- Tim Cook said on last week’s earnings call that the laptop is supply constrained, and Apple’s site shows two to three week delivery windows in many regions.
- Early Neos used down-binned A18 Pro chips with one GPU core disabled, but new production will mostly yield full-spec parts on TSMC’s tight 3nm lines that cost more.
- Rising DRAM prices in recent weeks have pushed the Neo’s parts bill higher, adding pressure to margins on a product positioned at $599.
- Reporting by Tim Culpan says Apple is weighing dropping the $599 256GB model or adding new colors, a shift that would raise the effective entry price for buyers.