Apple set to launch cheaper MacBook with iPhone 16 Pro's chip in 2026: Report

Apple is looking to accelerate sales of its MacBook lineup as it plans to bring a new affordable model to boost its numbers, according to a post by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

As per Kuo, Apple's new affordable MacBook is expected to enter mass production in late Q4 2025 or early Q1 2026. The upcoming laptop could feature a 13-inch display and is likely to be powered by the company's A18 Pro processor, which debuted in the iPhone 18 Pro series launched last year.

The affordable MacBook could come in four colour variants: Silver, Blue, Pink, and Yellow.

The Cupertino-based tech giant wants to return MacBook shipments to the COVID-19 peak of around 25 million units in 2026, compared to the 20 million units it is expected to ship in 2025. The new affordable MacBook, Kuo predicts, could account for 5-7 million units in 2026.

Notably, if Kuo's prediction turns out to be true, the processor could be the only point of difference between the new affordable MacBook and the entry-level MacBook Air, which starts at $999 ( ₹99,900 in India).

Unfortunately, the analyst does not give any indication of how much cheaper the new Apple offering could be compared to the current laptop range. Assuming the leak turns out to be accurate, we should have plenty of updates in the coming months regarding the pricing and other features of the new affordable MacBook.

In a separate post, Kuo also noted that Apple is working on seven head-mounted devices, many of which are set to launch in 2027. The company is reportedly banking heavily on this category and has a significant competitive advantage thanks to robust hardware and ecosystem integration. However, the challenge for the tech giant will be developing an AI-powered operating system and software.

One of the key devices that Apple is working on is a Meta Ray-Ban like smart glasses. These glasses are one of the major focus for company with expected shipments of around 3-5 million in 2027.