Apple Explains 'MacBook Neo' Name

Until a last-minute leak revealed the MacBook Neo name, it was widely assumed that Apple's lower-cost MacBook would simply be named "MacBook." After all, Apple offered a plain "MacBook" from 2006 to 2012, and again from 2015 to 2019. In the end, Apple did go with MacBook Neo branding, and it has explained why in a new interview.

In short, Apple said MacBook Neo sounds fresh.

"We wanted something that felt fun and friendly, and fresh, and felt like it really suited the spirit of this product," said Colleen Novielli, a Mac product marketing director, in conversation with TechRadar's Lance Ulanoff.

Indeed, Apple has emphasized the MacBook Neo's newness.

"MacBook Neo is new, exciting, original, and HERE," said Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak, in a social media post on Wednesday. "With a beautiful aluminum design, 13-inch Liquid Retina display, 16 hours of battery life, and the power of Apple silicon, you'll fly through everyday tasks. It'll be love at first Mac."

Many of the MacBook Neo lifestyle images that Apple shared show young people. The more affordable laptop will undoubtedly be popular with students.

The colorful MacBook Neo starts at just $599 in the U.S., and at an even lower $499 for college students. Available in Blush, Citrus, Indigo, and Silver, the MacBook Neo is powered by a version of the A18 Pro chip from the iPhone, and it is equipped with a 13-inch display, up to 512GB of storage, and a non-configurable 8GB of RAM.

With the MacBook Neo, which launches on Wednesday, March 11, Apple could reshape the lower-end laptop market in a big way.