[Digital Today reporter Jinju Hong (홍진주)] Apple’s newly introduced entry-level laptop, the MacBook Neo, is expected to sell up to 5 million units this year. As the PC industry shifts toward a strategy centered on high-priced products, an analysis says Apple could shake up the market by instead releasing a lower-priced model.

NineToFiveMac, an IT media outlet, reported on March 5 (local time), citing Taiwan market research firm TrendForce, that Apple’s recently launched MacBook Neo is expected to sell about 4 million to 5 million units this year.

In the global PC market, rising memory prices and constraints on component supply have led manufacturers to cut production of low-priced models and overhaul strategies around premium products. That is because a trend is continuing to secure profitability by prioritising limited parts for higher-priced products.

But Apple chose a strategy that runs counter to this industry trend. It released the lower-priced MacBook Neo and is aiming to expand sales volume by aggressively targeting the entry-level laptop market.

TrendForce analysed that the MacBook Neo could in particular reshape the price structure of the global notebook market. If consumers can buy a MacBook at around $500 to $600, makers selling Windows notebooks in the same price range could face significant pressure from price competition.

Some variables also exist. The fact that the MacBook Neo maintains a base configuration of 8GB of memory could become a point of debate in terms of performance. That is because limits on memory capacity could act as a constraint for some users. Even so, TrendForce forecast that overall MacBook sales are likely to increase significantly when considering price competitiveness and the Apple brand effect.

There is also a forecast that the MacBook Neo will lower barriers for users seeking to enter the Apple ecosystem. Existing MacBook lineups were relatively expensive and could burden first-time Mac users, but an entry-level model could expand inflows of new user groups such as students and general consumers, an analysis says.

The industry is also watching the possibility that this strategy could lead to a long-term expansion of Apple’s market share. Given the characteristics of the Apple ecosystem linking iPhone, iPad and Mac, an increase in new users through the MacBook Neo could have a positive effect on future sales of other Apple products.

TrendForce assessed that “MacBook Neo is a product that can change the competitive landscape of the notebook market itself beyond a simple entry-level laptop,” adding that “Apple is aiming to expand market share through its pricing strategy.”