Rising memory & battery costs complicate Apple's lower-cost MacBook

Initial guess-work about Apple's low-cost MacBook in 2023 set pricing at about $500, but surprise increases in component pricing since then is a problem in 2026.


Industry forecasts project Apple's MacBook shipments will rise 1.4% quarter over quarter and 3.7% year over year in early 2026. Total MacBook shipments are expected to reach 21 million units in 2026, up from 20.55 million in 2025, a modest gain that stands out in a weakening market.

Global notebook shipments are expected to decline in early 2026 due to cautious enterprise spending and a slower consumer upgrade cycle. Apple's expansion is happening against that backdrop, not in spite of it.


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