Apple may have accidentally revealed the name of its rumored lower-cost MacBook model ahead of its expected Wednesday announcement.
A regulatory document for a device listed as “MacBook Neo” (model A3404) briefly appeared on Apple’s EU compliance pages.
The PDF itself didn’t mention the “MacBook Neo” branding, but the name showed up in the page link on Apple’s regulatory site, suggesting the label was attached to the filing at least momentarily.
There are no images or detailed specs in the document, so the listing doesn’t confirm what this machine will look like or exactly where it sits in Apple’s lineup. Still, the appearance of the name fuels the growing set of rumors around a cheaper MacBook designed to sit below the MacBook Air.
MacBook Neo could use iPhone mobile chips
Leaks have previously suggested this lower-cost model could use an iPhone-class chip such as the A18 Pro or A19 Pro instead of an M-series processor, paired with a 12.9-inch display.
The “Neo” branding would also fit with talk of more playful color options, with rumors pointing to finishes like yellow, green, blue, and pink. Pricing is still the biggest question mark.
How much is the MacBook Neo going to cost?
Estimates have ranged from $599 to $799, which would put it directly in the range where students and casual buyers start comparing laptops the way they compare tablets.
The launch itself is expected to be quiet. There’s no Apple event livestream planned, and the press will likely be directed to Apple’s Newsroom announcement instead. Hands-on coverage could come from “Apple Experience” gatherings said to be taking place in New York, London, and Shanghai on Wednesday at 9 a.m. Eastern.
As a Windows fan, I’m worried
At the end of the day, the most interesting angle might be what this signals beyond Apple: if a MacBook really ships with an iPhone-style chip, it pushes laptops closer to the world Windows has been moving toward for a while, where thin, fanless, always-connected machines lean on phone-like efficiency and battery life as much as raw performance.
