On March 4, 2026, Apple caught everyone off guard by unveiling the MacBook Neo, a $599 laptop. That is 45% cheaper than its MacBook Air. An aggressive price that signals a new ambition for the company with the apple logo: finally taking on the student market and going head-to-head with Chromebooks and midrange PCs.

Apple has offered more affordable products before, but the price gap has never been this stark. In other categories, the difference remains more limited. The Apple Watch SE, for example, sells for about $150, roughly 38% less than the Apple Watch Series 11, while the iPhone 17e is priced $200 below the iPhone 17, a gap of about 25%.

Cost optimization

To hit this unprecedented price point in the Mac lineup, Apple had to make a few technical concessions. The entry-level model drops Touch ID, available only as a paid option of about $100. The keyboard is not backlit and the trackpad returns to a mechanical design, while the USB-C port is limited to USB 2.0 speeds. The display, meanwhile, settles for a 60 Hz panel, with no anti-reflective coating and no True Tone technology.

Despite these trade-offs, early reviews indicate the MacBook Neo remains surprisingly capable for the money. The device can handle light 4K video editing or RAW photo work, notably in Lightroom. Above all, Apple keeps a few core elements of its DNA: an aluminum chassis and premium fit and finish, allowing the product to remain consistent with the brand's image.

A parallel surge at the premium end

Selling a Mac at the price of a midrange PC might look risky for a brand long positioned at the high end. But Apple's strategy is not simply about moving downmarket, it is also about pushing even further upmarket. Tim Cook appears to be applying a pricing pyramid strategy, where the arrival of more accessible products is offset by the creation of a new "ultra" high-end category.

Apple is reportedly preparing AirPods Vision, a new generation of earbuds integrating cameras for visual intelligence features. Meanwhile, prices for the next generation of MacBook Pros equipped with touch OLED screens could rise by about 20% compared with current models.

Rumors around the first foldable iPhone, unofficially dubbed iPhone Fold, are becoming more specific. According to Bloomberg, the model could be marketed between $2,000 and $2,500, inaugurating a new category even more exclusive than today's iPhone Pro and Pro Max. The goal would not be to replace mainstream iPhones, but to add a new peak to the pricing pyramid, aimed at users willing to pay for the most advanced technologies in the Apple ecosystem.

A total ecosystem strategy

With this two-track approach, democratization at the bottom and premiumization at the top, Apple is steadily expanding its grip across the entire technology market. The lineup should soon stretch from the $599 MacBook Neo to the iPhone Fold at $2,000 and above. By simultaneously occupying entry-level, midrange, and ultra-premium segments, Apple is shrinking the space left to competitors.