New MacBook powered by the iPhone's A18 Pro chip could release in 2026
The rumored laptop was also spotted in Apple's back-end code
🍎 Apple is reportedly releasing a new MacBook powered by an iPhone chip
💻 A well-known leaker claims a lower-cost MacBook with the A18 Pro is on the way
👀 The laptop was even spotted in Apple’s back-end code under a reference number
🌈 It could come in more colorful finishes than other MacBooks
📅 It’s unclear when the laptop will launch, but production is rumored to begin later this year and into early 2026
Apple is rumored to be working on a brand-new, low-cost MacBook that an iPhone chip will power. Ming-Chi Kuo, a well-known leaker in the world of Apple, shared a post on X claiming that the laptop will enter production either later this year or in early 2026, featuring a similar 13-inch screen to the current MacBook Air and powered by the A18 Pro chip from the iPhone 16 Pro series. The laptop could help Apple return MacBook sales to the way they were during the peak of COVID-19.
The mysterious new MacBook’s processor would most certainly be powerful enough to handle macOS. Apple’s A18 Pro chip clocks in with speeds hovering between the M3 and M4 processors when benchmarked, which would give a MacBook plenty of performance for whatever you wanna throw at it. Plus, it’s a chip Apple has mass produced for another product, which will allow for the laptop to be even cheaper than the $999 MacBook Air.
How much cheaper is still a mystery. Kuo simply shared it would be a lower-cost alternative to the Air, which we’ve never seen from Apple. With the same-size display and - presumably - the same ports and keyboard, it’s hard to say how big a difference the A18 Pro will make when it comes to pricing.
Despite all the mystery, it seems like this laptop is at least real. MacRumors reports that it spotted a reference to a Mac powered by the A18 Pro in back-end Apple Intelligence code last summer, under the identifier “Mac17,1.”
It seems likely that this laptop will eventually launch, although it’s unclear when. Early 2026 seems to be the most likely given when production begins, but that’s just a guess. Kuo says the new MacBook will come in more vibrant colors when it does eventually launch, including blue, pink, yellow, and silver. It seems like Apple could position it like the entry-level iPad as the most accessible way to use the company’s desktop computing platform.
We’ll be keeping our eyes on this rumor over time to see what it evolves into. Stay tuned.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.