Does iPhone need its own MacBook Neo moment?

Source: 9to5Mac

Overview

Apple debuted the iPhone 16e last year at its $599 price point – and it’s been an okay phone since. It got refreshed this year with an A19 chipset, more storage, and MagSafe, but for the most part, its positioning in the market hasn’t really changed. It’s an okay phone at an okay price.

It’s been selling decently, but it hasn’t really been a killer appeal to Android users in the same way that the MacBook Neo has been for PC users. I think that could change.

There was something magical about the MacBook Neo launch earlier this year that was never felt with the iPhone 16e launch a year prior. As I said earlier, iPhone 16e is just an okay phone at an okay price. In contrast, MacBook Neo is a good laptop at a great price.

MacBook Neo shattered expectations for what Apple could make, meanwhile iPhone 16e/17e have been exactly in line with what you’d expect from Apple. They haven’t been a killer value, just cheaper iPhones.

If Apple wanted to really break into the Android market, I think they could do something more radical – and John Ternus’ leadership could get us exactly that.

An even cheaper iPhone

Rather than taking a parts‑bin approach like iPhone 16e, I think iPhone 18e (or perhaps an iPhone Neo) could be built from the ground up to be a cheaper iPhone, like MacBook Neo.

Maybe instead of using an older OLED display, it could use an LCD panel to save on cost. Perhaps it would feature Face ID instead of Touch ID, and a 12 MP camera instead of 48 MP. It could even come with a smaller 5.8‑inch display to appeal to fans of compact phones. Instead of an A20 chip, it could feature a less powerful A18.

Apple would likely keep an aluminum and glass build, but if they could package a phone at the magical $399 price point, it could convince many Android users to switch, especially in markets with weaker economies. In the US, the price of the device doesn’t matter as much because most people finance it through carrier deals, but in many places iPhones are simply too expensive.

In all likelihood, this device wouldn’t need to replace the iPhone 18e. It could sit beneath it, with both devices serving clear market segments. Nonetheless, it would be incredibly interesting to see Apple take a MacBook Neo‑like swing at the Android market, just as they did with the PC market.