Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) is no longer focused on the high-end PC market. The first "low-cost version Mac" featuring an iPhone chip is about to be released.

Apple Inc. product leaker Mark Gurman, who has accurately revealed iPhone update details multiple times, recently stated that Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) is preparing to enter the low-cost laptop market for the first time, developing a budget version of Mac aimed at attracting customers who prefer low-cost lightweight laptops from competitors such as Chromebook PC and entry-level Windows PC. Gurman quoted sources familiar with the matter as reporting that this new devicedesigned for students, businesses, and regular userswill target those who primarily use their laptops for web browsing, document processing, or light media editing. Apple Inc. is also aiming at potential users who may have considered purchasing an iPad but prefer the experience of traditional lightweight laptops. Gurman stated that the laptop model is codenamed J700 and is currently undergoing active testing within Apple Inc. and gradually entering the early production stage with overseas suppliers. These informants, who requested anonymity as the product has not been officially announced, stated that Apple Inc., headquartered in Cupertino, California, plans to launch this new laptop product in the first half of next year. An Apple Inc. spokesperson declined to comment. This potential new move may represent a significant strategic shift for Apple Inc., as the consumer electronics giant has historically focused on high-profit margin high-end electronic devices. Apple Inc. has previously vowed not to pursue market share expansion through low-end products. However, Apple Inc. is facing growing threats from Chromebook lightweight laptops, which run on Alphabet Inc. Class C's Chrome OS. Additionally, there is a significant opportunity to attract Windows PC users. Previously, Microsoft Corporation's (MSFT.US) complete transition to the Windows 11 operating system has angered some users still using the previous generation of operating system software, causing them to lose out on Microsoft Corporation's supported technical updates and security updates. Following the news of Apple Inc.'s shift towards focusing on low-cost lightweight laptops, stock prices of PC manufacturers such as HP Inc. (HPQ.US) briefly dropped to intraday lows. As of the end of Tuesday's trading on the U.S. stock market, stock prices of HP Inc. and another major PC manufacturer, Dell Technologies, Inc. Class C Technology (DELL.US), both fell by more than 3%. Apple Inc.'s stock price, on the other hand, rose by 0.37% to $270.04 as tech stocks plummeted in the U.S. stock market. Challenging Chromebook! Expected to be priced below $1000 According to Gurman, Apple Inc. plans to keep the price of this new PC model below $1000 by using lower-level components. The laptop will rely on an iPhone processor known for low power consumption and high efficiency, along with a cost-effective mid-range LCD display. The screen size will also be the smallest among all Macs currently available, slightly smaller than the 13.6-inch display used in the MacBook Air. This will be the first time that Apple Inc. uses an iPhone processor on a Mac laptop product line, rather than a chip specifically designed for laptops. However, Gurman stated that Apple Inc.'s latest internal tests show that the performance of this smartphone's high-end chip is significantly better than the Mac-optimized M1 chip used in laptops a few years ago. For a long time, Apple Inc. has continuously used some customized SoC chip products from the iPhone to power all iPad models, but these high-end models were switched to using their M-series processors a few years ago. Previously, Apple Inc. experimented with selling discounted versions of the M1 MacBook Air for under $700 at retail locations in the U.S., but the upcoming laptop model will be a completely new design rather than older models being sold at a discount. Currently, the cheapest Mac product from Apple Inc. is the M4 MacBook Air priced at $999further reduced to $899 through education discounts. Meanwhile, Chromebooks are priced from several hundred dollars, with high-end versions around $600. In the school market, Apple Inc.'s entry-level iPad paired with Magic Keyboard Folio is a popular student consumer electronics combination, priced around $600 in total. The new Mac may fall within a similar price range of $600-$900, but will offer stronger battery life, greater flexibility from the macOS software operating system, and an integrated keyboard device, potentially attracting both students and regular consumers. New low-cost Mac versions expected to boost Apple Inc.'s PC market share According to statistics from the well-known market research firm IDC, Apple Inc. had a market share of approximately 9% in the global PC market in the third quarter. This tech giant ranks fourth in the industry, trailing behind Lenovo, HP Inc., and Dell Technologies, Inc. Class C, which primarily focus on selling consumer electronics devices based on Windows or ChromeOS operating systems. A brand new Mac that is cheaper yet retains Apple Inc.'s design style and can operate efficiently in conjunction with the company's other products may spark a new wave of adoption of Apple Inc. Mac devicesespecially in the U.S. market, where the iPhone dominates, possibly leading to an expansion of Apple Inc.'s PC market share. Currently, the Mac business has been the fastest-growing hardware product category for Apple Inc. in the previous quarter, with revenue growth of approximately 13%, reaching $8.73 billion. This growth rate is expected to slow down this quarter, mainly because Apple Inc. only released one new model during this period: the entry-level MacBook Pro with the M5 chip. The company plans to introduce a series of major updates in 2026. In addition to this new low-end laptop, Apple Inc. has already completed part of the development work for the M5 MacBook Air, scheduled to be launched at the beginning of the year, as well as the MacBook Pro high-end models with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. In terms of other new Apple Inc. consumer electronic products on the roadmap, there will be new M5 and M5 Pro Mac mini models released in the future, along with updates for the M5 Max and M5 Ultra Mac Studio. Additionally, a "refreshed version of the MacBook Pro" with the M6 chip and an OLED touchscreen similar to the iPhone's style is planned for release at the end of 2026 or early 2027. Apple Inc. will also launch two new external Mac displays.