Apple unveils Rs69,900 MacBook Neo for entry-level buyers
MacBook Neo may lure Rs60k-80k Windows laptop buyers
Indian PC brands stress ecosystem strength and flexibility
In India, one of the biggest questions for people looking to buy a laptop has been ‘Should I buy a Mac or a Windows laptop?’. In most cases, the question roughly translated to ‘Can I afford a Mac?’. With the MacBook Neo, a lot of people may have gotten the answer.
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As Apple celebrates its 50th anniversary today, its latest foray into the entry-level laptop market last month caused quite a stir. At a starting price of Rs69,900 in India, with some retailers even promising discounts in the coming months, the product seems like a clear pivot for a firm known to be a premium brand—the latest iPhone 17, for example, starts at nearly Rs65,000 (iPhone 17 e), which is equivalent to the price of a high-end Android phone. Alternatives to AirPods exist at nearly a tenth of the price of the product.
The foray may have shaken up the global order in the segment. In its December quarter earnings call, Asus’ global co-CEO SY Hsu described it as “certainly a shock for the entire market” while going on to list its limitations. In a recent interview, Hexnode CEO Apu Pavithran said Apple’s entry “is shaping an industry reset, changing expectations on what a cheap laptop can look and feel like”.
In India, though, players remain unfazed and continue assessing the situation. Sudhir Goel, Acer India’s chief business officer, says customers already have a lot of options in the Rs70,000 category. “Acer itself has the Swift series, the Nitro lineup, and other products designed to different user needs such as productivity, creativity and gaming,” he says.
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Raj Kumar Rishi, vice-president and managing director, consumer and small business, Dell Technologies India, says the firm’s strategy remains intact as to what was shared earlier. “We previewed the return of XPS 13, bringing the premium craftsmanship XPS is known for at an accessible price point. This was our signal that we are competing on all price bands, including the entry-premium segment. We are committed to a broad market coverage,” he says.
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Anshika Jain, principal analyst at Counterpoint Research, says Apple has lowered the entry point into MacOs. “It has made the brand affordable for aspirational buyers, students and other institutions while preserving a premium feel. This aggressive pricing will pull consideration away from the Windows laptops in the Rs60,000-80,000 range and nudge the lower end of the MacBook Air.”
Goel, though, has a different take on this. “One key feature of Windows is that it offers flexibility. Our laptops can connect to a wide range of smartphones rather than being a limited to a single-brand ecosystem.”
He adds: “The Windows ecosystem itself brings powerful AI capabilities. By combining our hardware with platform-level AI capabilities, we can offer users a wide range of experiences directly on their device.”
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According to projections from research firm TrendForce, shipments of the MacBook Neo alone could reach between 4 and 5 million units. The launch also comes at a time when the larger PC industry is facing declining demand.
Jain predicts the move by Apple is a larger ecosystem play. “It captures first-time users now and is driving lifetime value. For Windows brands, the response cannot just be price cuts. They will need to double down on their strengths such as software compatibility, gaming, enterprise use, and even better price-to-specs ratio.”
