The rumored 12-inch MacBook with Apple Silicon - a 2024 perspective (Speculation Megathread?)

[LaterWolf]

The rumored 12-Inch MacBook with Apple Silicon, 2024 perspective and latest updates.

Background: The 12-inch MacBook with Retina display, was a line of notebooks launched in 2015. It contained a sleek, thin design, with 4 colors at the time of the 2015 launch. It contained one USB-C port, the first for Apple. It also contained the infamous Butterfly keyboard, a shallow keyboard ridden with issues. In terms of power, the 2015 version contained Intel Broadwell Core M processors with Intel 5300 graphics, the 2016 version contained Intel Skylake Core M processors with Intel HD 515 Graphics, and the 2017 version contained Intel Kaby Lake m3, i5 and i7 processors. The MacBook 12-inch was discontinued in 2019 with the launch of the second generation Retina Macbook Air.

The current situation: With the launch of Apple silicon Mac's, many people speculated that a new 12-inch MacBook was coming. In January 2023, Gurman said that a 12-inch MacBook was no longer on the company's near-term roadmap, but stopped short of ruling the device out completely, meaning that it being pushed into 2024 or later may still be possible.

This WikiPost is intended to remind people about the 12-inch MacBook, alongside the possibility of an Apple silicon version. Do you think it will ever come? If there are mistakes or new updates, feel free to edit this WikiPost.

Ok this has become more of a Megathread with 7 pages of replies and content, as well as people voicing their opinions on what will happen, so we'll just call it that. You can still act like it isn't tho.

 

[nagibator]

That sounds quite impressive. I continue to use my 2017 12-inch device for extended journeys.

 

[KPOM]

I would buy it in an instant, but ironically Apple laptops have gotten bigger and heavier even though the chips are so much more efficient.

I use an M1 iPad Air with a Magic Keyboard to remote connect to my 14” M3 Pro MacBook Pro when I’m on the road. It’s a workable solution though sometimes remote connect can be twitchy.

 

[XboxEvolved]

Such a device seems very possible especially if it is used to compete with Google and Microsoft in the educational market, since Apple has drastically dropped in usage in K-12, the last graph I saw showed that less than 15% of US schools use iPads, less than 5% use Macs, while Windows gets about 30% usage and Chromebooks have a whopping 50% of the market.

The Chromebooks which I guess are the ancestors of those crappy Netbooks, can be had for $200 or less, so I'm not quite sure what Apple can do to combat that, especially since an iPad can be had for not much more at $330 and is worlds better (It just doesn't have the pencil or keyboard for example). The best I could think of is for Apple to make some sort of device that targets users such as kids in high schools and college, give it one USB C port, and perhaps skip out on a few things here and there. I don't see why they couldn't make a laptop that was based off of M2 within the next year or two as it seems likely Apple will continue to sell M2 products for the foreseeable future. If they can sell the M1 MBA on Amazon for like $800-850 (did a quick check its back up to $900) then I don't see a real reason why they couldn't sell a 12' laptop for $700-800 with say a M2, no Touch ID, 8GB ram, 256SD, and still get their ridiculously high profit margins.

 

[Chuckeee]

Such a device seems very possible especially if it is used to compete with Google and Microsoft in the educational market

I’m not sure about that. Smaller does not always mean less expensive. At some point, making a laptop smaller increases costs due to increased complexity associated with miniaturization more than offset savings from smaller displays and batteries.

For me, a chance to finally update my 12” G4 PowerBook is tempting. It’s getting harder and harder to hook up to secure sites on the Internet

 

[Kotsos81]

I think that we will see a 12" MBA in the near future - maybe even by the end of this year or in 2025. I know that it will be a welcome addition for many people. Personally, I prefer the 13" form-factor, I find it to strike the most favorable balance between screen size and portability. But more options that suit different tastes and needs are always a good think.

 

[1096bimu]

I don't think it'll happen because you're supposed to get an iPad Pro instead.

 

[Chuckeee]

I don't think it'll happen because you're supposed to get an iPad Pro instead.

Sad but a valid point. One can still dream though…

 

[GMShadow]

Rumors are that Apple's kicked this model around, but decided the MBA15 was going to sell better than a new 12" machine. Which doesn't mean the 12" never happens, just that it was deprioritized.

If they can sell the M1 MBA on Amazon for like $800-850 (did a quick check its back up to $900) then I don't see a real reason why they couldn't sell a 12' laptop for $700-800 with say a M2, no Touch ID, 8GB ram, 256SD, and still get their ridiculously high profit margins.

The MBA M1 has dropped to $749 a lot, but that's a machine where all the engineering costs have been amortized by this point, which gives them more pricing flex.

I don't see a 12" MacBook, even at $800ish, being a big seller in education - Chromebooks are trash, but they're cheap trash, and if the kids are going to tear them up anyway, it makes sense to stick with cheap trash.

As others have noted, the MB12 was never a value Mac - it was $1299 base through the three generations, with the pre-Retina Air holding down the value slot for that time, until both were discontinued in July 2019 when the second gen Retina Air released.

M1 MBA - $999
M2 MBA - $1099
M2 MBA15 - $1299
M3 MBP - $1499

I'm not sure where the 12" slots into that. I don't think having it replace the M1 MBA at $999 is a good idea, nor do I think that's likely.

 

[sunny5]

Apple has to make a cheap laptop as they aren't selling well for more than 1 year and that's why they announced M3 series quite earlier than we expected. I dont know the revenue report after M3 series but they really need to increase Mac users if they wish to make more money from Mac. Since M1 MBA with 128GB sold for $799, it's totally possible to make a cheap MacBook around $499. I would just worry about SSD swap due to low RAM and SSD size.

About iPad, they really need to kill or shrink iPad series because it's too limited and yet, too many series. Now, Apple is planning to make iPad Pro series to be much more expensive without any reason while it doesn't even work as a computer unlike what they are claiming. They seriously need to make only a few iPad series while not killing Mac.

Btw, there are multiple rumors about a cheap MacBook releasing in 2024 due to low revenue.

 

[XboxEvolved]

Rumors are that Apple's kicked this model around, but decided the MBA15 was going to sell better than a new 12" machine. Which doesn't mean the 12" never happens, just that it was deprioritized.



The MBA M1 has dropped to $749 a lot, but that's a machine where all the engineering costs have been amortized by this point, which gives them more pricing flex.

I don't see a 12" MacBook, even at $800ish, being a big seller in education - Chromebooks are trash, but they're cheap trash, and if the kids are going to tear them up anyway, it makes sense to stick with cheap trash.

As others have noted, the MB12 was never a value Mac - it was $1299 base through the three generations, with the pre-Retina Air holding down the value slot for that time, until both were discontinued in July 2019 when the second gen Retina Air released.

M1 MBA - $999
M2 MBA - $1099
M2 MBA15 - $1299
M3 MBP - $1499

I'm not sure where the 12" slots into that. I don't think having it replace the M1 MBA at $999 is a good idea, nor do I think that's likely.

It would definitely go under the lowest end Mac whatever that may be at the time, which would probably be the M2 MBA, this being a M2 also as the M2 will likely be Apple's most widely produced M series chip for the next 2 years. If they don't do it within this year though, I don't see it actually happening. One could hypothesize a $800 MacBook using the same exact form factor as the discontinued MacBook is feasible so that would take even more of the cost out and ensure a healthy margin for Apple. Honestly I think they could call it MacBook Mini even and it would probably sell pretty decent.

 

[Antoniosmalakia]

Rumors are that Apple's kicked this model around, but decided the MBA15 was going to sell better than a new 12" machine. Which doesn't mean the 12" never happens, just that it was deprioritized.



The MBA M1 has dropped to $749 a lot, but that's a machine where all the engineering costs have been amortized by this point, which gives them more pricing flex.

I don't see a 12" MacBook, even at $800ish, being a big seller in education - Chromebooks are trash, but they're cheap trash, and if the kids are going to tear them up anyway, it makes sense to stick with cheap trash.

As others have noted, the MB12 was never a value Mac - it was $1299 base through the three generations, with the pre-Retina Air holding down the value slot for that time, until both were discontinued in July 2019 when the second gen Retina Air released.

M1 MBA - $999
M2 MBA - $1099
M2 MBA15 - $1299
M3 MBP - $1499

I'm not sure where the 12" slots into that. I don't think having it replace the M1 MBA at $999 is a good idea, nor do I think that's likely.

I'd like to assume that the M1 MacBook Air will eventually disappear from the line-up, and the current redesigned Air will take its place at $999.

Whether that leaves space for a cheaper 12-inch device beneath that, who knows, but I would definitely buy one if they did.

My 14-inch MacBook Pro isn't exactly cumbersome, but I'd love a smaller device that'd fit in a smaller bag, like my iPad Pro 11-inch, but had macOS, so I could do real work!

 

[Admiral]

The rumored 12-Inch MacBook with Apple Silicon, 2024 prespective and latest updates.

Background: The 12-inch MacBook with Retina display, was a line of notebooks launched in 2015. It contained a sleek, thin design, with 4 colors at the time of the 2015 launch. It contained one USB-C port, the first for Apple. It also contained the infamous Butterfly keyboard, a shallow keyboard ridden with issues. In terms of power, the 2015 version contained Intel Broadwell Core M processors, the 2016 version contained Intel Skylake Core M processors with Intel HD 515 Graphics,.and the 2017 version contained Intel Kaby Lake m3, i5 and i7 processors. The MacBook 12-inch was discontinued at 2019.

The current situation: With the launch of Apple silicon Mac's, many people speculated that a new 12-inch MacBook was coming. In January 2023, Gurman said that a 12-inch MacBook was no longer on the company's near-term roadmap, but stopped short of ruling the device out completely, meaning that it being pushed into 2024 or later may still be possible.

This WikiPost is intended to remind people about the 12-inch MacBook, alongside the possibility of an Apple silicon version. Do you think it will ever come. If there are mistakes or new updates, feel free to edit this WikiPost

The audience for the 12" MacBook is not children. It's the business traveler, executives, and possibly graduate and professional students, who need a laptop everywhere. The difference between two pounds and three pounds is real.

The 12" MacBook, with all its weaknesses, remains the favorite among all the computers I have owned since 1979. It was effortless to travel with, and powerful enough to do all work I have to do on the road. I would buy one based on Apple Silicon in an instant.

With today's technology, a revised MacBook could have a 12.3" or 12.5" screen, Apple's current revised keyboard, WiFi 7, and Thunderbolt 5 — all in just over two pounds, light enough to carry everywhere and small enough to work on the seat tray in economy. It would be a dream. Do us a solid and put a 5G modem in there too to liberate us from WiFi.

 

[sunny5]

Apple's Q1 2024 Earnings Call Takeaways

Apple today held its earnings call for the first fiscal quarter of 2024 (fourth calendar quarter of 2023), with Apple CEO Tim Cook and Apple CFO Luca...

www.macrumors.com

The revenue for Mac turns out to be bad as M3 series did not go beyond $7.7 billion while Mac earned around $10 billion in 2022. Since early 2023, it was around $7 billion so I cant really say $7.8 billion was successful compared to Q4,2023 where Mac revenue declined for 1 year.

So maybe Apple is willing to make a cheap Mac after all?

 

[Chuckeee]

Seems like there is a market for smaller premium personal electronics. I would love a 12” or even 11” MacBook and I would not care that it was more expensive than a 14” MacBook Pro. But I am doubtful that apple is interested in that market. They aren’t interested in the mini iPhone market and I suspect the 12” MacBook market is even smaller

 

[MacRazySwe]

This is pure speculation at this point. Haven't heard any rumors of a new 12" MacBook.

 

[aj_niner]

MB 12" is wishful thinking.

Would you want one with a A17 Pro chip?

 

[Admiral]

This is pure speculation at this point. Haven't heard any rumors of a new 12" MacBook.

Apple has contacted me twice to ask questions about interest in the product. I've owned two of the Intel 12" MacBook (2015 and 2017), so I can't be sure whether they think I'm one customer they're asking twice. or two customers they're asking once, but I can confirm that Apple has asked some of its customers questions about what's good about 12" MacBook, what's bad about it, and whether we would genuinely be interested — and how strong the interest is — to buy the product if it returns to the lineup.

I've been on tenterhooks since then, and my experience with Apple Silicon makes the answer yes, Yes, YES!

 

[Pinterra]

I'm of the opinion that Apple may be heading back towards having too many Macs. I'm not 100% sure what a 12-inch MacBook would offer that a 13-inch MacBook Air doesn't, because my 13-inch Air fits so effortlessly into bags I forget it's there.

I wonder if they'd just call it a MacBook.

I imagine the key to it would be 5G/LTE support, though if that's the case then Apple should just add that as an option to every single Mac.

Return of the netbook, if it happens.

 

[MRMSFC]

I doubt it will return unless consumer preferences change.

I imagine it’s something like the iPhone Mini situation, in which many are vocal about wanting one, but don’t end up buying one. The fact that the 15” MBA was even made indicates that consumers prefer a larger screen over a smaller one, even if it means a larger device.

Also, I find it strange how much the 12” MacBook was **** on on release, and yet somehow it’s a beloved product.

Apple's Q1 2024 Earnings Call Takeaways

Apple today held its earnings call for the first fiscal quarter of 2024 (fourth calendar quarter of 2023), with Apple CEO Tim Cook and Apple CFO Luca...

www.macrumors.com

The revenue for Mac turns out to be bad as M3 series did not go beyond $7.7 billion while Mac earned around $10 billion in 2022. Since early 2023, it was around $7 billion so I cant really say $7.8 billion was successful compared to Q4,2023 where Mac revenue declined for 1 year.

So maybe Apple is willing to make a cheap Mac after all?

PC sales fall off a cliff

The sale of personal computers, which surged as companies turned to hybrid and remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic, fell sharply in the third quarter. The release of Windows 11 and its first annual update seemed to have no effect.

www.computerworld.com

Feel free to ignore outside circumstances. The buying boom during the pandemic didn’t happen, and inflation isn’t real. Apple doing better than most other PC makers doesn’t indicate anything.

 

[MRMSFC]

I don't see a 12" MacBook, even at $800ish, being a big seller in education - Chromebooks are trash, but they're cheap trash, and if the kids are going to tear them up anyway, it makes sense to stick with cheap trash.

I think the idea of an education focused MacBook is, to be blunt, ridiculous on its face.

New college students grew up on iPhones and iPads. To the point where many don’t understand file systems (https://m.slashdot.org/story/390777)

Outside of chromebooks, the only option that makes sense for education is iPads. Children are already very familiar with it (whether that’s good or bad I won’t comment) and nearly every iPad model is cheaper than a potential “low cost MacBook” could be. And Apple already has a program to provide iPads for education.

And before someone says “kids need to learn how to navigate a normal OS” First, I agree. Second, that’s what computer labs are for, and has been their purpose since my school years.

 

[sunny5]

This is pure speculation at this point. Haven't heard any rumors of a new 12" MacBook.

Apple to Sell Low-Cost 12-Inch and 13-inch MacBooks for $700 or Less

Apple is actively developing new 12-inch and 13-inch MacBook models for sale at a planned price point of around $700 or less, claims a rumor out...

www.macrumors.com

Kuo: Apple Considering Low-Cost MacBook Launch in 2024

Last month, a seemingly unlikely rumor out of Asia claimed that Apple could be planning to launch a low-cost MacBook series next year in order to...

www.macrumors.com

Apple to Launch 'Low-Cost' MacBook Series Next Year to Rival Chromebooks

Apple is developing a low-cost MacBook series to compete with Chromebook models in the education sector that could be launched as early as the second...

www.macrumors.com

Apple is reportedly considering low-cost MacBooks to rival Chromebooks

The new line of budget-friendly MacBooks could come as soon as late 2024.

www.zdnet.com

The “low-cost MacBook” rumor just won’t die, but it might finally make sense

Apple doesn't do "cheap," but Apple Silicon could make a cheaper MacBook work.

arstechnica.com

There are many rumors since last year.

 

[deconstruct60]

With today's technology, a revised MacBook could have a 12.3" or 12.5" screen, Apple's current revised keyboard, WiFi 7, and Thunderbolt 5 — all in just over two pounds, light enough to carry everywhere and small enough to work on the seat tray in economy. It would be a dream. Do us a solid and put a 5G modem in there too to liberate us from WiFi.

The revised keyboard is thicker than the butterfly keyboard. Pretty likely means the 'base' of the laptop will need to get very incrementally taller to compenstate. " Today's technology" aluminum weighs just as much as 2016 aluminum. [**] So that will bump up the weight.

Unless the screen panel electronics technology sees a sharp drop in weight, adding more glass ( 0.3-0.5" ; 12" -> 12.3-5" ) will add more weight also.

The 2020 M1 MBA 13" is 2.8 lbs and 2022 is 2.7 lbs. If push the MB up to 2.2-2.3 lbs range then the gap isn't so 'large' anymore. There likely are some who will declare 0.4-0.5 lbs ( ~190g) as being an onerous weight addition. The current context is different than 2016. Apple has already incrementally chopped weight out of the MBA 13". That narrows the gap smaller.
[ the 2022 MBA 13" screen got incrementally bigger but lost weight partially because chopped some weight out of the case chassis. ]

Apple could chop some battery to save weight and still do better time than the old 2016 MB, but expectations are likely higher now.


** P.S. Some other material ( e.g., a lighter titanium than the aluminum alloy that apple uses. Or some composite ) could get thicker and still result in a weight drop. Probably pushes the price up though. If Apple brings back some very exotic , higher priced laptop then really should avoid the plain "MacBook" name. Either swap back to 'Air' being the exotic option or get a new suffix (MacBook Mini/Micro/Ti ) .

 

[azentropy]

I'm one of those people who thought that the 12" MB would be a perfect first Apple Silicon system (well second after the mini). Of course it didn't happen. My current thinking is that we may see a MacBook SE that will be based on the older M1 MBA form factor. I don't think a 12" is coming back and if it did it wouldn't be 12", it would be closer to 12.8" or so with the reduced bezels.

 

[JPack]

12-inch is too small for the target market.

The 10-12-inch category is designed for easy carrying for kids in elementary school. Those kids prefer a touchscreen or stylus and Apple isn't going to offer those.

What that means is Apple will be targeting grades 8-12 and teachers who can use a physical keyboard. That group will want a 13-inch computer.