It’s been a busy week for Apple: The company has already revealed the new iPhone 17E and refreshes for the iPad Air, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. But there’s still a big hands-on press event scheduled for Wednesday — and Apple may have accidentally shown its hand by posting (and then removing) a regulatory document that confirms the existence of a “MacBook Neo.”
The regulatory PDF was posted on Apple’s official website in compliance with EU law. While the file didn’t contain the product’s name, the link to the regulatory document listed Apple’s Model A3404 as the MacBook Neo. Though Apple has removed the file from its official website, MacRumors uploaded a mirror of the document.
The MacBook Neo could be the long-rumored budget MacBook. It’s the single Apple product we strongly suspected to see during the company’s spring refresh schedule that hasn’t yet made its debut, and as a new product, it makes sense that it would be the linchpin of the “special Apple Experience.”
The budget MacBook is rumored to be outfitted with an iPhone chip like the A18 Pro or the A19 Pro, which means it’ll have less processing power than other current-generation MacBooks. It could also have a smaller 12-inch LCD screen.
While previous reports pointed to a potential price of $599 for the MacBook Neo, the M5 MacBook Air announcement could complicate things.
The MacBook Air — which is currently the cheapest product in Apple’s laptop lineup — had its price increased from $999 to $1,099. The budget MacBook might have a distinctive place in the product lineup if its rumored price is true, but this could also mean the MacBook Neo is priced higher than we previously expected.
A representative for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
CNET experts will be on the ground reporting hands-on experiences from the New York Apple Experience on March 4. While there’s no event livestream, any new products will be posted on the Apple Newsroom website as they are announced.
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