A cheap MacBook is the perfect way to get users deeper into the Apple ecosystem

Apple’s low-cost MacBook will fill a long-standing gap in its lineup — and bring a new wave of users into the ecosystem.

March 4 is another big announcement day for Apple, which it plans to celebrate with three invite-only “experiences” in London, Shanghai and New York. If you’ve been following rumors and speculation, you’ll know that Apple is reportedly set to add a new, cheaper MacBook back to its lineup.

I personally think this is a great move. Apple could really expand its Mac audience, and here’s why.

A gap in the market

As of 2019, Apple offers two MacBooks: MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. The entry-level MacBook was once again killed off in favor of Air consolidation offerings.

The MacBook Air made its debut in 2008. We’ve all seen the video of it being unwrapped from its manila cover – certainly impressive for the time.

The MacBook Air was designed to be ultraportable, hence the nickname. Since then, Apple has changed what Air means across its entire line of devices.

Air is no longer “thin, light and portable”. Both the MacBook Air and the iPad Air are designed to be at the upper “mid-range” level and hardly qualify as “entry-level,” no matter how Apple sees them. Two and a half kilos is hardly “air” in 2026.

And don’t even get me started on the iPhone Air.

Apple’s marketing suggests that the MacBook Pro’s target audience is creative professionals who need serious performance to complete creative projects. Apple’s marketing also suggests that the MacBook Air’s target audience is the same group of creative professionals.

The biggest difference is in the range of creative projects that Apple expects from you. The MacBook Air has long been considered the capable younger sibling of the MacBook Pro.

In fact, if you head over to the MacBook Air page on Apple’s website, the very first application it shows running on the MacBook Air is Adobe InDesign, with numerous mentions of the creative software all over the page.

This is great because I love my MacBook Air. I run both Adobe and Affinity products on it and I love that it does these things easily.

But that doesn’t change the fact that it doesn’t even replace the now-missing MacBook.

Simply put, nothing is aimed directly at the average, everyday computer user. This is a strange place for Apple to be.

Apple used advertise your non-Pro, non-Air MacBook as your John and Jane Everyman computer. Apple still advertises the non-Pro version of the iPhone and the non-ultra version of the Apple Watch as devices suitable for anyone between the ages of 5 and 105.

Computers have long been geared toward entry-level models designed specifically for students and regular users. Heck, a whole market dedicated to even more casual users—the Chromebook-style PC market—opened up and did pretty well.

Apple would do well to expand into the lower end of the market, especially if it really wants to lock people into its ecosystem outside of the iPhone’s dominance over mobile. But it will need to be done smartly.

John and Jane Everyman walk into the Genius Bar…

A new lower-end MacBook could be huge for Apple. Especially if they’re going for maximum visual impact.

Some people scoff at the idea of ​​a colored MacBook. But Apple is aware of this more people like this option.

Whenever I buy a new Apple device, the color is often the one first thing I’m considering. My iPhone, AirPods Max and MacBook Air are blue, my iMac is yellow; all were chosen mainly for these possibilities.

I still think the best iPhone ever invented was the iPhone 5c. I, Jane Everyman, am here to confirm everything you already knew about your relatives’ “norms”.

Part of that is because I already trust Apple to make decent products. I have the option of prioritizing the color because I know I’m likely to get a solid experience with an Apple purchase.

Apple has built a lot of goodwill with its entry-level iPhone models. I think offering a basic MacBook model with a bit of personality could be a big draw for non-Mac users.

Considering the price

The biggest problem here is really the price. If it will be launched for $699, it is not exactly a steal. The $999 MacBook Air M4 is, not infrequently, south of $899 through partner deals.

That being said, the new, cheaper MacBook does also drop to lower prices also within the framework of partner offers. What starts at $699 can easily drop to $599, $550 or even lower.

When you drop below $600, the MacBook suddenly looks a lot more attractive. This is where Apple would likely see some serious product movement.

Entering the ecosystem

I got my first iPhone in 2010 — it was an iPhone 4. I loved it.

Even for the next sixteen years, I kept buying iPhones, only when strapped for cash did I stray to an Android phone. But that was pretty much my only Apple product until 2015 when I got my first iPad mini.

All this time I have continued to be a PC user. It wasn’t until 2019 that I got my first Mac.

It was a 2016 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. I got it specifically because I started working at AppleInsider.

It didn’t take long for me to prefer Mac over PC – maybe a few months. Going from 32 to 64 bit set it back a bit as I lost access to most of my games on Steam.

But the more I used my Mac, the more attached I became. And the biggest reason is how seamlessly it works with my other Apple products.

My sister is a PC girl. He has an Android phone. She would probably live her entire life outside the Apple ecosystem.

But I gave her an iPad. Specifically, I gave her an iPad with an Apple Pencil.

This meant she could suddenly use Procreate, which she was immediately interested in. And now, two years later, she asked me for advice on how to transition to the Apple ecosystem.

Apple is good at getting people interested in one product and eventually pulling them into others. My sister specifically wants an iPhone because she found that there are a few iOS-specific apps that she would like to be able to access on her phone.

Apple already has iPhone fans, the cheaper MacBook does absolutely draw them further into the Apple ecosystem. Especially at a time when the alternatives look rather bleak.

The biggest reason to switch to macOS: Windows 11

Let’s address the elephant in the room: people are not happy with Windows right now. The migration to Windows 11 was anything but smooth, and customers complained loudly and often.

In fact, it was so bad that Microsoft had to publicly admit the system’s flaws several times. Microsoft said The Verge that the company has been working on solving the pain points that users talk about the most.

Apple’s decision to release a new budget MacBook model probably wasn’t planned in conjunction with the abysmal launch of Windows 11. But there’s no denying that it feels a bit like kismet.

If Apple manages to strike at the right time, it could peel away a significant portion of low- and mid-range PC users. These people are not power users; they are users looking for a system that is easy to pick up, that is secure and works reliably.

Basically everything Windows 11 isn’t right now.

I made the switch in 2019. I happily left the Windows ecosystem and every time I need to fix a relative’s PC, I feel like I made the right decision.

I personally believe this is Apple’s losing battle. Whether it’s attracting iPhone owners who don’t yet own a Mac or converting Windows users to macOS, the company could do a lot more with this launch than most people realize.

We’ll see how March goes.