Apple's rumored $700 low-cost MacBook, featuring an A18 Pro chip, is set for a March 4 launch. Priced nearly 30% cheaper than the entry-level MacBook Air, it targets budget-conscious users currently buying the Air for basic tasks like email and web browsing. While critics question using an iPhone chip in a laptop, Apple argues the A18 Pro's performance exceeds these needs.

The move risks cannibalizing Air sales, but Apple has historically embraced internal competition, as seen with its 1999 iBook vs. PowerBook strategy. To avoid overlap, the new MacBook may adopt the iBook's distinct design language—think colorful plastics over the Air's minimalist aluminum—a tactic that once appealed to students and casual users without undermining Pro models.