Analyst: Apple already working on MacBook Neo 2
Apple's entry-level model hit the market on Wednesday. Second generation is supposed to clear up deficits, according to an analyst. One feature might be missing.
MacBook Neo in use: Apple's entry into budget notebooks.
(Image: Apple)
Apple is likely to quickly follow up with a second generation of the MacBook Neo. This is according to well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities, who has a good connection to Apple's supply chain. New devices are probably planned for 2027. However, at least one new feature, which has already been rumored, is not expected to be included, according to Kuo in a report to investors. A touchscreen is not expected to be included.
What's suitable for the Neo 2
Apple shouldn't have much trouble developing a second Neo. Little is likely to change about the newly introduced form factor with its chic aluminum case or the display. Instead, spec bumps are expected. Apple could thus upgrade the A18 Pro from the iPhone 16 Pro, which was reduced by one graphics core in the Neo, to the A19 Pro. This comes from the iPhone 16 Pro, is slightly faster than its predecessor, and above all brings more RAM: instead of 8 GByte, it's 12 GByte here.
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Further innovations could include a larger SSD (at least optionally 1 TByte or 512 GByte at launch – although the latter is rather unlikely) and improved ports. Apple is very stingy here with one USB-C port with USB 3 and one with sluggish USB 2.0.
The question of the touchscreen
However, one new element is expected to remain unchanged for the MacBook Neo 2: A touchscreen is reportedly off the table. Here, an upper-class model called the “MacBook Ultra” is expected by the end of the year, which will feature a touch-sensitive screen for the very first time. The feature is likely to be limited to this series for now.
Apple will not catch up with Chromebooks here, of which currently about half already have touch, writes Kuo. “But my latest industry checks suggest Neo 2 may not adopt it.” Apple expects sales between 4.5 and 5 million units for the Neo in 2026. Half of these are expected to be sold in the first half of the year. This cannot compete with iPhone sales figures, but it is a very strong number for a single laptop model. Apple has not disclosed sales figures for several years. A comparison is therefore difficult.
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