Apple is weighing a return to the sub-$600 laptop segment for the first time in more than a decade, according to multiple supply-chain and analyst reports. The company is said to be developing a 12- to 13-inch MacBook that would carry a starting price of about $599—roughly half the entry cost of today’s MacBook Air—and run on an iPhone-class A-series processor, most recently cited as the forthcoming A18 Pro. The move is aimed at countering Chromebooks in education and persuading long-time Mac owners to upgrade. Industry briefings referenced by outlets including MacRumors, TechRadar and Business Standard say Apple is targeting a release in the second half of 2025, with an additional discount likely for schools. If confirmed, the strategy would give Apple its lowest-priced Mac since the white polycarbonate models of 2010 and would mark the first time an Arm-based A-series chip powers a Mac notebook rather than the company’s M-series silicon. The budget push comes as Apple’s higher-end roadmap stretches out. Analysts at TF International Securities and other research firms now forecast that MacBook Pro models with next-generation M5 chips will slip into 2026, while an OLED redesign of the MacBook Pro is not expected before 2027. By adding an aggressively priced model next year, Apple could shore up unit sales while its flagship hardware remains on a longer upgrade cycle.