While MWC drew the world's attention to Barcelona, Apple quietly launched its sharpest competitive move in years — two $599 products designed to own the market before 6G even arrives.
Starting March 2nd, Apple abandoned its traditional single large-scale launch event format, rolling out a week-long campaign through press releases and product videos. The iPhone 17e and MacBook Neo, both priced around $599, directly challenged Windows entry-level notebooks and mid-range Android smartphones, sending shockwaves through the market.
First Mac Computer Using a Smartphone Processor
Apple's new 13-inch laptop, MacBook Neo, launched at $599 (Taiwan pricing NT$19,900), breaking the company's longstanding premium pricing image. Its biggest highlight is the A18 Pro chip — originally used in the iPhone 16 Pro — making it Apple's first Mac computer to adopt a smartphone processor.
Apple Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering John Ternu stated: "MacBook Neo redefines the performance benchmark for entry-level laptops." Data shows its everyday web browsing speed is 50% faster than bestselling PCs equipped with Intel Core Ultra 5 processors; when running on-device AI computing, speeds can reach three times faster. Benefiting from the A18 Pro's high energy efficiency, MacBook Neo adopts a completely fanless design and boasts 16 hours of battery life. This pricing strategy clearly targets the education market and Chromebooks, as Apple leverages its ecosystem advantages for a decisive competitive strike in the sub-$600 price segment.
Simultaneously, the iPhone family's newest member — iPhone 17e — received substantial upgrades while maintaining a $599 price point (Taiwan pricing starts at NT$21,900). Its hardware specifications are remarkable: starting with 256GB storage and 12GB RAM, designed specifically for Apple Intelligence.
iPhone 17e features the latest A19 processor and introduces MagSafe magnetic charging and full Apple Intelligence functionality to an affordable model for the first time. Most notable is its memory configuration — an unusual jump from the previous generation's 8GB to 12GB.
Cathay Securities Investment analyst Ji Yan-cheng（紀彥呈）noted: "In the current environment of surging memory prices, Apple's choice to upgrade RAM to 12GB without raising prices represents an extremely forward-looking investment. 12GB is the critical threshold for stably running large models on-device." This signals that Apple aims not just to sell hardware, but to use iPhone 17e to massively popularize AI services — and pave the way for potential future AI subscription revenue.
