Apple is planning to turn around the disappointing sales of its MacBooks this year, according to industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo — who has a long and proven track record of Apple-related leaks — tweeted that Apple is working on a cheaper MacBook model to ramp up sales. Apple is also shifting its focus from the M2 series Macbooks to the upcoming M3 series. The new laptops will debut at the surprise October 30 event.
Apple is soon unveiling the M3 Series MacBook
Apple believes the M2 chip offered only marginal gains over the previous-gen M1 chip, which led to the poor sales of M2 MacBooks. That’s why Apple is doubling down on the M3 chip.
The upcoming M3 reportedly offers clear bumps in performance. The tech giant is betting on faster speeds to revive MacBook sales. New models featuring the M3 chips will be unveiled at the Scary Fast event later this month.
If that strategy fails and Macbook sales continue to nosedive, Apple also has plans to introduce an entirely new Macbook Pro in 2025. Secondly, it may force the company to consider an affordable MacBook model — perhaps a Chromebook competitor. For now, the Cupertino giant wants to ship at least 8 million to 10 million units in the next four quarters.
The budget MacBook will have a premium feel
The details about the budget Macbook are scarce. DigiTimes, a global supply chain publication, reported that a “low-cost MacBook series” will come out later in 2024. Apple intends to market it to students and educators, much like Chromebooks.
The budget MacBook will reportedly have a polished design despite the cheaper price tag. It’ll rock a metallic exterior and look similar to other MacBook models. But the material and specs will be different to offer it at a more affordable price point. Kuo says that Apple has yet to decide on the project.
