Apple may stop selling the $599 MacBook Neo base model, priced at 990,000 won in South Korea, and keep only the $699 model, priced at 1.19 million won.

The Verge reported on May 7 that analyst Tim Culpan said Apple could leave only the $699 model with 512GB of storage as the RAM shortage continues.

The key backdrop is rising costs caused by the RAM shortage. MacBook Neo launched as rivals’ notebook prices rose on memory supply constraints, but Apple is not insulated from the same component environment, the analysis said.

Apple is already showing similar moves in other Mac product lines. Earlier this week, it removed the lowest-priced Mac mini configuration from its sales list, lifting the starting price to $799. In March, it also removed the 512GB RAM option from the Mac Studio.

Possible price changes for the MacBook Neo are also linked to rising demand. The MacBook Neo drew a strong response right after launch, and Apple’s website currently shows a 2 to 3 week wait for delivery. Culpan pointed out that Apple is responding by nearly doubling planned MacBook Neo output to 10 million units from an initial 5 to 6 million.

The issue is that manufacturing costs could rise further during the ramp-up. The first batch of MacBook Neo used leftover A18 Pro chips intended for the iPhone 16 Pro, but from the second batch Apple needs to place new orders for additional chips. With parts costs also rising due to the RAM shortage, the second production run is more likely to cost Apple more.

In that structure, it becomes harder to maintain the low-priced model. While the MacBook Neo succeeded early, that success effectively brought both expanded supply and rising costs. Culpan said Apple could discontinue the $599 base configuration, and he expects the remaining model would likely be the $699 version with 512GB of storage.

If the $599 model disappears, the low entry price cited as a key appeal of the MacBook Neo could weaken. Apple targeted students, general consumers and demand for entry-level notebooks by highlighting the low price, but if the starting price rises to $699, price competitiveness would inevitably be more limited than before.

For consumers, the timing of purchases is also expected to be a variable. If the base-model discontinuation becomes reality, demand for a MacBook Neo in the 990,000 won range could surge in the short term. Conversely, after Apple streamlines configurations, the likelihood rises that buyers would have to choose higher-priced models.

Apple has not yet announced any official price changes or plans to discontinue the model. Still, given precedents in which the Mac mini and Mac Studio have already shed low-priced or specific configurations, the MacBook Neo is also seen as possibly being reshaped in a similar direction. That has made it a point to watch in the near term whether the MacBook Neo’s low-price strategy will continue.