Apple's rumored 'low-cost' MacBook would be more worrying for Microsoft than Google

[Windows Central]

Apple is rumored to be making a cheaper MacBook with an education focus, but I think it's Windows laptops rather than Chromebooks that could be hit most.

Apple's rumored 'low-cost' MacBook would be more worrying for Microsoft than Google : Read more

 

[fjtorres5591]

A couple of points to highlight:

1- Apple doesn't do cheap. Their whole business model is about aspirational marketting and if tbey were to do a "cheap" Mac they ould be eating into their own sales far more than any other ecosystem.

2- Don't dis the low end market. Not everybody can afford a $500 computer. Many can't afford even a $300 system.

In today's world, *personal* computers are a necessity to survive when even government services rely on online access. This is particularly true of working class folks with kids, especially those in underfunded school districts, to say nothing of folks outside first world megacities, which is the vast majority of our species. There is a reason why Amazon, for one, features a deep assortment $100 PC sticks, $200 miniPCs and yes, the $300 wintab and laptop you decried. Some are even from reputable vendors like ACER and ASUS. Or HP. (Been to a Walmart or equivalent lately?) Even Intel knows the low end *needs* support. Oh, and chromebooks aren't just for education just as the $50 android TV boxes and tablets aren't just for retrogaming and video pirates. For some people that is their only access to the digital world and even a $300 computer is a luxury. Apple? An unreasonable expense even if the mythical $500 MacBook materializes.

I know WC has from time to time featured some low-end hardware review but it's been a while and you might benefit from actully sampling the world of stick PCs, miniPC desktops, and $300 tablets and laptops for folks whose needs are online access, free Office Suites, and remote learning (which isn't just for kids--don't forget the online universities).

The low end matters to the users. And the vendors who meet their needs instead of trying to entice them to overspend on a brand.

Submitted for your consideration: there's a whole series of stories witing to be covered. (hint!)

That'll be US$0.03. (Sorry but inflation...)

 

[pwgc]

I'm an all-in Windows guy, but as an experiment I tried a M2 Mac Mini. What I found that with Edge installed, and logged in with my Microsoft and 365 accounts, with Onedrive installed, and some tinkering with Finder to make it more Windows-similar, I could operate quite happily for the things I do. Apps like Photoshop will download to either OS if you have an Adobe account and your files are always in Onedrive on either platform. Going back to Windows was definitely like going home, but MacOS is now much more useable, thanks to Microsoft rather than to Apple.