How cheap is a cheap MacBook, really?
Macworld There’s probably not long to go now. Based on Apple’s looming “global experience” on March 4, dwindling stock of the M1 MacBook Air, and a near-universal consensus among pundits and leakers, the much-anticipated cheap MacBook will be with us in the next week or two. But we still don’t know the answer to the key question. Exactly how cheap are we talking about? Because here’s the thing: As a general rule, Apple doesn’t do cheap. It prefers to focus on the premium end of the market where the margins are higher, and it can get more mileage out of its luxury brand. Conversely, dabbling in the budget market risks tarnishing that brand: if everyone can afford an iPhone, owning an iPhone stops being a status symbol. From the iPhone 5c and Apple Watch SE to the AirPods 4 and Mac mini, fans have often got excited about the imminent launch of a “cheap” Apple product, then been disappointed when it turns out to sit roughly on the border of budget and solidly affordable mid-market. They’re (mostly) good products perfectly capable of delivering value for money. But that isn’t quite the same as being out-and-out cheap. Indeed, despite rising costs of living in the U.S. and several major international markets, Apple appears less inclined than ever to cater to buyers on a strict budget. This time last year, it released the iPhone 16e, which was certainly more affordable than its siblings but cost $170 more than the iPhone SE it nominally replaced. The new “e” phone felt like a signal that Apple no longer wished to participate (or pretend to participate) in the budget smartphone market. And the iPhone 17e, which we expect to launch in a matter of days as well, is unlikely to reverse that decision. So what would be a reasonable asking price for a MacBook with an A19 iPhone chip? For comparison purposes, let’s consider the rest of Apple’s current range. At the top, the MacBook Pro starts at $1,599 for the 14-inch model with an M5 chip, while the MacBook Air starts at $999 for the 13-inch model with an M4 chip. Even if the cheap MacBook has the same 256GB of storage and 16GB of RAM as those models (which isn’t guaranteed), it’ll cost less than both of those, so we can start subtracting from a thousand. At the other end, the most interesting comparator is the M1 MacBook Air. Apple once sold this machine for $999 long past its prime, and it continued to be sold by Walmart until very recently. In 2024, Walmart sold the M1 Air for $699, but the price fell over the months to $599, $549 and finally all the way down to $499 on Cyber Monday last year, so this gives us a floor. Now that we’ve established that cheap is between $499 and $999, let’s drill down deeper. The budget MacBook will be targeted at customers who need to do light work on the go, and that’s veering into iPad territory. The entry-level and mini versions of the iPad don’t quite fit that target audience, but the iPad Air is about right. That starts at $599. Chuck in the Magic Keyboard, and we’re up to $868. I’d expect our MacBook’s price tag to sit somewhere between those two numbers, hopefully closer to the lower end. And this is more or less where pundits have ended up. Mark Gurman, writing for Bloomberg, says the budget MacBook will cost “well under $1,000.” Others have more ambitiously claimed it could start as low as $599 to compete in the popular Chromebook market, and maybe Apple will manage this by making heavy compromises on the specs and feature set. But I’d be surprised by that, given how recently Apple fans were expected to part with the same amount for a five-year-old MacBook Air. Based on our experience with the transition from the iPhone SE 3 to the iPhone S16e, I’d expect the A19 Pro MacBook to cost somewhere between $699 and $799, with a discount of $50 or $100 for education buyers. Of course, there are plenty of customers out there who’d be delighted if Apple went lower. Our colleagues at PCWorld have an entire article recommending laptops under $500, and this includes one pick under $300 and another under $200. If Apple truly wanted to smash the ultra-budget Chromebook market, it would be targeting numbers like that. But it won’t. And the sooner we accept this, the better. Foundry Welcome to our weekly Apple Breakfast column, which includes all the Apple news you missed last week in a handy bite-sized roundup. We call it Apple Breakfast because we think it goes great with a Monday morning cup of coffee or tea, but it’s cool if you want to give it a read during lunch or dinner hours too. Trending: Top stories The Mac you’ve always wanted is coming soon! or as the Macalope puts it,a colorful MacBook is coming to chase away the Siri doom. The iPhone 17e still won’t be good enough to lure Android users, reckons Mahmoud Itani. iOS includes a growing set of built-in features to curb unwelcome calls and notifications. You can kill iPhone spam with these 10 tips. What if we told you that Apple once considered launching a “retro iPod”? Thanks to newly published material, we now have a fascinating glimpse into the iPod that never was. Forget Siri 2.0. OpenAI’s smarter chatbot is already integrated into iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, and ChatGPT is your iPhone’s secret superpower. The saga of Apple’s rumored Health+ service makes Apple’s service chief look like a strong leader. So can Eddy Cue break Apple’s slump? Podcast of the week Apple has something cooking for March 4, and the signs indicate that we are getting the laptop we’ve been waiting for. We’re talking about the upcoming event and new developments in Apple AI hardware on the latest episode of the Macworld Podcast. You can catch every episode of the Macworld Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Soundcloud, the Podcasts app, or our own site. The rumor mill macOS 26.3 might have just spilled Apple’s biggest March 4 secrets. No, Apple won’t drop USB-C from the iPhone 18. Low-cost MacBook in ‘fun colors’ leads flurry of upcoming Mac releases. Move over Meta: Apple smart glasses are coming. Video of the week @macworld.com Apple’s March 4 “experience” #apple #macbook #iphone #news ♬ original sound – Macworld – Macworld Don’t call it a special event. It’s an experience. Enjoy all our short-form video on TikTok or Instagram. Software updates, bugs, and problems Finally! Apple adds MacBook battery charge limit to macOS 26.4. iOS 26.4 beta suggests Apple hasn’t given up on its AI health coach. iOS 26.4 beta introduces AI playlists for Apple Music. And with that, we’re done for this week’s Apple Breakfast. If you’d like to get regular roundups, sign up for our newsletters, including our new email from The Macalope–an irreverent, humorous take on the latest news and rumors from a half-man, half-mythical Mac beast. You can also follow us on Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, or X for discussion of breaking Apple news stories. See you next Monday, and stay Appley.

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The AirPods Max Is $100 Off
The AirPods Max provides the user with the ultimate over-ear listening experience with an Apple-designed H1 chip, software, and a custom acoustic design. The headphones feature personalized spatial audio and dynamic head tracking, placing music all over you for an immersive listening experience. The sound being played is sealed in with an acoustic design made […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Apple Rumored To Be Manufacturing AI Wearable Devices
Apple is accelerating its process of creating three wearable devices with AI. The company is developing AI AirPods, an AI wearable Pin, and smart glasses, all capable of connecting to an iPhone and showing an interface with the new Siri. The products will have cameras built-into them, enabling the AI to see the surroundings of […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Revamped Siri is a No-Show in iOS 26.4 Beta
iOS 26.4 is now available for public beta testers and developers, but there are no signs of new features for Siri in the new software. Expectations were disappointing as everyone was expecting new Siri Capabilities with Apple Intelligence, even with delays. It looks like we have to wait longer as the company has announced a […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Apple May Introduce New Products First Week of Next Month
Apple has invited certain content creators and journalists on March 4 in London, Shanghai, and New York for a special Apple Experience. Rumors have surfaced about the company’s other plans during that event, where many products will be announced in the first week of next month. Reporters do not expect the usual live stream Apple […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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The 4-pack AirTag Is $35 Off
The AirTag is a small Apple accessory that you can attach to your valuables, allowing you to track them when you lose them with the use of the Find My app. With the tracking device, you lessen the stress of the searching process and get to the lost item immediately. The AirTag features a built-in […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Apple Special Experience Announced By Apple
A special Apple Experience happening on March 4, 9:00 a.m ET in Shanghai, New York, and London has been announced by Apple today as a special Apple Experience. Certain members of the media have been invited by Apple itself in the three big cities. The company described the event as a Special Apple Experience, and […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Apple Podcast Now Supporting Video Episodes
Apple will be adding capabilities for a video podcast to their Apple Podcasts app using HLS or HTTP Live Streaming, supplying creators with opportunities for monetization and control, and giving the viewers a high-quality watching experience. The podcasts app in iOS 26.4 enables users to swap between listening to and watching shows with videos capable […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Budget-Friendly MacBook May Be Coming In These Colors
Apple has been trying out a variety of colorful colorways for its new budget-friendly MacBook. The company has tested pink, dark gray, classic silver, light green, and light yellow as their colors, but it is unlikely that all the colors mentioned will be released. Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple analyst, reported that the budget-friendly device is going […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Word, Excel & PowerPoint at your service for $30
Macworld TL;DR: Classic Office apps on your Mac for $29.97 — buy once, skip monthly fees forever. It’s the same old story with those free apps. Formatting breaks, spreadsheets behave weirdly, or a file someone sends you just doesn’t look right. Suddenly, you’re exporting, re-exporting, and wishing you were using the real thing. Right now, Microsoft Office Home & Business 2019 for Mac is $29.97 (MSRP $229) — which makes the usual “subscription vs ownership” debate a lot easier. This is the full desktop version: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Teams Classic. Installed locally, works offline, and doesn’t care if Wi-Fi is cooperating that day. Your files stay predictable because they’re built in the format most workplaces still rely on. It also plays nicely with macOS — Retina support, full-screen views, smooth scrolling — so it feels like a Mac app rather than a port. The big appeal, though, is psychological: you install it once and forget about billing cycles. No reminders, no renewal math, no “trial ending soon” banners. For students, freelancers, side-projects, or anyone tired of juggling compatibility quirks, this is basically a return to normal computing — software that just exists on your computer and keeps working. Don’t miss getting MS Office 2019 for Mac for just $29.97 (MSRP $229). Microsoft Office Home & Business 2019 for MacSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

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Apple Music 5.2 for Android beta adds iOS 26.4’s Playlist Playground, album redesign
Following the first iOS 26.4 preview, Apple Music 5.2 entered beta earlier this week with three new features. more…

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Reboot: Podcast haircuts, in-car Apple TV, and the real F1 on big screens
In this week's "Reboot" column, the unintended consequences of video on Apple Podcasts, Apple TV and AI on CarPlay, and Apple's big F1 push beyond your iPhone screen.This week, Apple Podcasts, CarPlay Apple TV, and the real F1, not the movie that appears here - Image Credit: AppleReboot is a new weekly column covering some of the lighter stories within the Apple reality distortion field from the past seven days. All to get the next week underway with a good first step.After a week that saw new import tariffs replacing struck-down ones, Siri unexpectedly missing from Apple developer betas, and more legal wrangling, we can do with all the help we can get. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple should take Visual Intelligence one step further – with Reminders
One of the core Apple Intelligence features to date has been Visual Intelligence. It started off in a rather limited capacity through Camera Control, but with iOS 26, the company expanded it to screenshots. I’ve found those capabilities very useful thus far, and I’d love to see Apple take it even further. more…

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Today in Apple history: Hippie-themed iMacs fuel Cupertino flashback
On February 22, 2001, Apple introduced the iMac G3 Special Edition in wildly colorful Flower Power and Blue Dalmatian patterns. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Visual Intelligence & Apple wearables are Tim Cook's next big thing
The AI pendant and AirPods with cameras are getting a big push from Apple CEO Tim Cook, with his Visual Intelligence chatter a big indicator of where Apple's focus is going.Looking up AirPods from an image on AppleInsider, using Visual IntelligenceRecent rumors have claimed Apple is working on a form of pin or pendant that works with Apple Intelligence. They, alongside other forecasts about AirPods with cameras, form part of an apparent third product category that Apple CEO Tim Cook is keen to introduce.In Sunday's "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman recaps the recent hints from Cook about AI wearables and their connection to Visual Intelligence. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple’s next Macs will finally check every box
Macworld According to rumors, 2026 is shaping up to be a huge year for the Mac, starting in just a couple of weeks with Apple’s first event (or “experience”) of the year. Along with the usual faster chips, Apple reportedly has new tricks up its sleeve in 2026, with several new features that will have Mac users everywhere saying, “Finally!” Here are four major overdue announcements we expect to arrive this year. A budget MacBook iPhone fans have long pined for a truly affordable MacBook priced below the $999 MacBook Air that isn’t just an older model with a cut-rate price. That dream machine may finally arrive in just two short weeks. On March 4, Apple will hold a series of “experiences” in New York, London, and Shanghai, and the star is expected to be the first-ever low-cost MacBook. After tackling the mid-range market with the MacBook Air, Apple reportedly wants to compete with Chromebooks and Windows laptops, with a new laptop that could be as cheap as $599. Apple will reportedly use an A18 Pro or A19 Pro iPhone chip, and it will likely have a smaller screen than the Air and possibly fewer USB ports. But it will be powerful enough for everyday tasks and light work. For a lot of users, that’s all that’s needed. MacBooks with OLED displays When Apple unveiled the M1 Pro/M1 Max MacBook Pro in 2021, it was the first Mac to get the Liquid Retina XDR display, which was introduced in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro a few months earlier. The new mini-LED display was a huge upgrade over the previous model, bringing extreme dynamic range HDR, 120Hz ProMotion refresh, and up to 1,000 nits of sustained, full-screen brightness. it’s an excellent display, but it’s no longer the best. Apple is expected to upgrade the MacBook Pro’s display again in 2026 by taking another page from the iPad Pro. The M4 iPad Pro, released in 2024, introduced the Ultra Retina XDR display with tandem OLED technology to deliver high brightness, wide color support, and impressive color accuracy. Mac users have wanted it ever since, and it looks like Ultra Retina XDR will finally come with the M6 Pro and M6 Max MacBook Pro later this year. By the end of 2026, the MacBook Pro will be a very different laptop.Foundry A touchscreen MacBook Pro One of the most frequent barbs I get from Windows users who want to needle me about my Mac devotion is, “When are MacBooks going to get touchscreens?” We may finally have an answer in 2026, when rumors say Apple will launch the first-ever MacBook with a touchscreen display in the fall. There’s a chance it could slip into the early part of 2027, but signs suggest Apple really wants to make it happen in 2026. The MacBook Pro’s 20th anniversary is this year, and Apple reportedly wants to mark the occasion by introducing the new model. Along with a touchscreen, the redesign will also bring a thinner profile and speedier M6 Pro and Max chips. We expect the laptop to retain its trackpad, but for users who’ve been wanting to reach up and place their fingers on the screen, they’ll finally get their wish. The replacement for the C1X modem could make its way into the M6 Pro and Max MacBook Pro.Apple MacBooks with 5G For many longtime Mac users, it’s a head-scratcher why Apple hasn’t put a modem inside a MacBook, especially when the entire iPad line has one. Of course, you can always tether to an iPhone when there’s no Wi-Fi around (depending on your wireless plan), but it’s not ideal if you need to move a lot of large files around. And of course, you’re also draining your iPhone and MacBook batteries. Last year, Apple released its first homegrown cellular modems, the C1 in the iPhone 16e and the C1X in the iPhone Air and iPad Pro. With the C2 in 2026, which will likely support mmWave, Apple is expected to expand the modem to more devices, starting with the M6 Pro and M6 Max MacBook Pro. With an Apple modem in a MacBook Pro, you can stop worrying about staying connected and draining the life out of your tethered iPhone.

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This $25 bundle helps you create content without the creative burnout
The 2026 AI-Powered Digital Marketing & Content Creation Bundle helps creators, entrepreneurs and marketers use AI to build scalable content workflows. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Beat creative burnout: Get this AI content and marketing bundle for just $25
The 2026 AI-Powered Digital Marketing & Content Creation Bundle shows you how to craft messaging that connects for socials, email, etc. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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iPhone 18 Pro may double down on bold colors
Apple reportedly plans a deep red finish for the iPhone 18 Pro, following the strong response to cosmic orange iPhone 17 Pro. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Expect at least five announcements during Apple's March launch week
Apple's early March string of announcements will include at least five product launches capped off by its triple-location event on March 4, with the budget MacBook and iPhone 17e tipped to appear.iPhone 17e and new MacBooks are expected in MarchAn "Apple Experience" is being held on March 4, which is widely expected to include multiple product launches. While no-one knows definitively what will be promoted by the company, it will consist of quite a few product introductions.In Sunday's "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman writes that Apple is planning three days of announcements. They will take place on Monday, March 2, until Wednesday, March 4. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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