Apple is preparing its first low-cost MacBook in years, according to supply-chain reporting from DigiTimes corroborated by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The laptop is expected to carry a 12.9-inch display, run on the iPhone-grade A18 Pro processor and start between $599 and $699—at least $300 below today’s base MacBook Air. Component manufacturing is slated to begin in the third quarter of 2025, with final assembly at Quanta Computer pointing to commercial availability late that year or in early 2026. Industry projections cited in the report suggest the cut-price notebook could lift Apple’s annual MacBook shipments by 30% to 40% from the current 17-18 million units, intensifying pressure on Chromebook and Windows PC makers competing in the sub-$1,000 range. The budget model would join a broader refresh cycle for Apple’s laptops. A modest M5-based MacBook Pro is now tipped for spring 2025, while a more radical redesign featuring an M6 chip and OLED display is said to have slipped to late 2026 or early 2027.