Reports have emerged suggesting that Apple is developing a low-cost MacBook equipped with the A18 Pro chip, which may have been hinted at earlier than expected. Code references to this model seem to date back to July 2024, as revealed in recent analyst commentary. On Monday, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo confirmed that Apple is working on a MacBook that utilizes an A-series processor rather than the more common M-series chip. This development seems to connect to earlier posts made by Aaron Perris on social media, which indicated that newly discovered code in macOS 15.1 listed various iPhone, iPad, and Mac models.
Among these was a mention of “Mac17,1,” a model identifier that has not yet been in use. Following this, *MacRumors* reported that Mac17.1 could be the first indication in backend code of a MacBook operating with the A18 Pro chip. While this aligns with Kuo’s assertions, no detailed evidence has definitively linked the Mac17.1 to the A-series MacBook project. As outlined in Kuo’s predictions, this upcoming MacBook is proposed to be powered by the A18 Pro chip, the same processor found in the iPhone 16 Pro.
The device is expected to feature a 13-inch display and will be available in several color options, including silver, blue, pink, and yellow. Production is anticipated to commence toward the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026. Although Kuo did not specify the expected retail price, he suggested that Apple aims to sell between five and seven million units in 2026. To achieve this ambitious sales target, it is likely that the price of the MacBook will be set competitively low.
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