Apple's Strategic Move: Budget Mac Laptop to Challenge Chromebooks and Entry-Level PCs in 2025

According to a Bloomberg News report released on Tuesday, Apple is planning to introduce a budget-friendly Mac laptop during the first half of next year, marking the company's initial venture into the low-cost laptop segment.

The upcoming device targets users who might otherwise choose Google's Chromebooks or entry-level Windows PCs. Bloomberg's sources indicate that the laptop is designed for students, businesses, and casual users who primarily engage in web browsing, document work, or light media editing tasks.

Apple is also positioning this new offering to attract potential iPad customers who would prefer a traditional laptop format.

The report states that the laptop, internally code-named J700, will be priced significantly below $1,000 by incorporating less sophisticated components. The device is currently undergoing active testing at Apple while early production has begun with overseas manufacturing partners.

When contacted by Reuters for comment, Apple did not provide an immediate response.

At present, the most affordable Mac available is the M4 MacBook Air with a price tag of $999, which reduces to $899 with an educational discount.

According to the Bloomberg report, this budget laptop will feature an iPhone processor and a lower-end LCD display. The screen size will measure slightly under 13.6 inches, making it smaller than any current Mac model.

The report notes that this would represent the first instance of Apple utilizing an iPhone processor in a Mac computer, rather than chips specifically engineered for computer use. Internal testing has reportedly demonstrated that the smartphone chip delivers performance exceeding that of the Mac-optimized M1 processor used in laptops just a few years ago.

In its fourth-quarter financial results, Apple reported Mac sales of $8.73 billion, surpassing analyst estimates of $8.59 billion. Last month, the company forecasted holiday-quarter iPhone sales and overall revenue figures that exceeded Wall Street expectations.