Apple is preparing a cheaper MacBook with a processor like the iPhone 16 Pro

Currently, the cheapest MacBook Apple offers in the US is the $999 MacBook Air, but that could change in the coming year. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the company is preparing a cheaper version of the laptop with a processor from the iPhone 16 Pro.

There are few specific details about the new product at the moment, except that it will use the A18 Pro processor, which is equipped with the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max. Kuo also notes that the laptop will likely have a 13-inch screen and will come in gray, blue, pink and yellow colors.

Although the six-core A18 Pro is originally a mobile chip, it is almost as good as the M4 in single-core tests, but noticeably loses in multi-core mode.

While the new laptop is expected to be the cheapest of all Apple laptops, its price is currently unknown. However, Kuo says that mass production should begin in the fourth quarter of 2025 or the first quarter of 2026.

Kuo also says that Apple wants to reach a pre-COVID-19 level of MacBook shipments of about 25 million units in 2026. The company will ship about 20 million laptops in 2025. The more affordable new model is expected to account for about 5-7 million units.