MacBook Pro Sold Out So Much That Apple is Panicked! iPhone Chip Stock Threatened to Run Out

The new MacBook has turned out to bring a new problem for Apple. (photo: x @javilosana)

JAKARTA - The incredible success of the MacBook Neo has brought new problems for Apple. The booming demand is said to potentially drain the stock of A18 Pro chips, the main component used in Apple's latest "cheap" laptop.

According to the latest report, Apple CEO Tim Cook even revealed that the Mac line recorded the best launch week in history, especially from new users. One of the biggest contributors to the success was the MacBook Neo which was immediately stormed the market.

But behind the fantastic sales, Apple is now facing a serious dilemma on the production side.

Use iPhone "Waste" Chip

Unlike other Mac lines, the Neo MacBook does not use specially manufactured chips. Instead, Apple uses the A18 Pro chip - which is also used in the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max - from the remaining stock.

Not only that, some of the chips used are the result of "chip-binning", which is chips with minor defects (for example one GPU core is inactive) that can still be used. This strategy makes production costs much lower, because Apple doesn't have to make new chips from scratch.

This approach is the key to why the new MacBook can be sold cheaper than other MacBooks.

Chip Stock Could Run Out

The problem is, the stock of A18 Pro chips is limited. Because it comes from the iPhone production, the number cannot be added quickly.

More complicated, these chips are produced using TSMC's 3nm technology, which is currently almost full capacity. This means that if Apple wants to make additional chips, they have to fight for production slots - and it's not cheap.

If forced, Apple may only be able to produce an additional 2.3 million to 7 million units, a small number for Apple's scale. The cost per chip will also be much more expensive than normal mass production.

This situation makes Apple have to consider several risky options:

Raise the price of the MacBook Neo (which could damage its appeal as a "cheap" laptop) Remove certain variants to reduce costs Release a new version with different specifications Or use non-binned chips with reduced performance via software

All of these options have major consequences for Apple's market strategy.

Long-term Strategy Has Been Prepared

Interestingly, Apple is said to have planned a similar strategy for the future. The next version of the Neo MacBook released around 2027 will likely use the A19 Pro chip from the "recycled" iPhone 17 Pro line.

This shows that Apple is serious about making production efficiency its main weapon - not just technological innovation.

Even so, there are doubts from a number of analysts. With iPhone sales reaching hundreds of millions of units, the number of remaining chip stocks which are only around 5-6 million units is considered quite low.

However, not all defective chips can be reused. Many are completely unusable, so the number of chips that can be "saved" is much less than the total production.

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