Apple’s budget Mac dropped as a shock to many, but its sales could be doing much better than expected. The company has reportedly issued an urgent follow-up order for the MacBook Neo after the new budget laptop’s early sales surged past initial projections.
A new report from MoneyUDN claims that Apple has raised its shipment outlook for the device from “several million” units to more than 10 million, with major manufacturing partners Foxconn and Quanta moving to support the ramp.
How Apple’s $599 MacBook is ahead of the game
According to the report, the MacBook Neo’s appeal is pretty clear. At $599, it is described as Apple’s most affordable notebook yet, and that lower entry point appears to have triggered a global buying wave. Reports are claiming that the MacBook Neo has already sold out,, with Apple now facing shortages as demand keeps climbing.
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has reportedly even stated that the MacBook Neo’s launch week saw the best first-week sales among new Mac users in the Mac lineup’s entire history. If this is true, then Apple isn;t just moving impressive units, it is even pulling in large number of first-time Mac buyers.
What Apple is doing to meet the big demand
This is where the rush orders claim come in, It seems like Foxconn is producing the MacBook Neo in both China and Vietnam, while Quanta is also involved as a supporitng manufacturing partner. The report further adds that Apple suppliers do not comment on specific customers or products, so the claim remains rooted in unnamed supply chain sources.
Apple has apparently underestimated just how strong demand would be for a lower-cost Mac notebook, and it is now trying to catch up. And nothing makes it more evident than the delivery times. The MacBook Neo first went on sale globally on March 11, and current orders through Apple’s online store are showing delivery windows between April 24 and May 1. This delayed delivery shows that the supply is already under pressure.
The report also claims that Apple’s inventory of the A18 chipset us also being depleted quickly, which could make Apple’s supply problem even trickier if demand stays hot.