The MacBook Neo looks set to shake up the laptop industry quite significantly.
The move came as a shock, according to Asus' co-CEO.
Unless you've been under a rock for a week or so, you'll know all about Apple's new laptop. The MacBook Neo was unveiled last week, and sees the iconic laptop range return to a really affordable price point.
For those of us in the tech industry, the news wasn't too much of a surprise. The model had been rumoured for months prior to launch, and while the final details weren't confirmed, the general premise was well documented in the world of leaks and rumours.
Still, it does seem to have escaped the attention of Asus co-CEO, S.Y. Hsu, who called the move a "shock" in an earnings call earlier this week. As reported by PC Mag, he said, "In the past, Apple’s pricing situation has always been high, so for them to release a very budget-friendly product, this is obviously a shock to the entire industry."
It's not hard to see why, either. Apple's premium pricing and positioning has often left the MacBook feeling very separated from the PC industry, which has left brands like Asus, Microsoft and HP with a free run at the more affordable industry.
The Neo could significantly shake that up. Priced at £599 / €699 / US$599 / AU$899, the model is already a fairly attractive prospect. Throw in the extra discounts for students and you can see exactly which market this device is set to disrupt.
There's no telling exactly how other brands will respond. The current RAM shortage is an unprecedented situation, which is going to affect lower priced devices.
Apple's solution – taking chips from its iPhone range to power a laptop designed for less intensive tasks – is certainly an interesting one, though I'm not convinced we'll see something similar in the Windows laptop realm.
Regardless of how it's achieved, though, if these legacy brands wish to keep a grasp on some of their market share, they're going to need to adapt.
