According to MacRumors, internal Apple kernel debug kit files accidentally released earlier this year reveal the company tested an unreleased MacBook configuration running an A15 chip. The test platform, under the project label “mac14p” and codename J267, was found alongside a separate, more defined MacBook entry tied to an A18 Pro chip with the identifier J700. This A18 Pro model includes specific subsystem details like a “Sunrise” wireless component from MediaTek, making it read like a product configuration. Rumors suggest this A18 Pro MacBook will launch next year as a low-cost model with a 13-inch display and multiple color options. The A15 test device is seen as an internal platform, similar to past developer kits, and is highly unlikely to ever ship as a consumer product nearly five years after the chip’s debut.
The test platform vs. the real product
Here’s the thing about these leaks: they show Apple‘s prototyping process in action. The A15 MacBook, codenamed J267, is almost certainly what it looks like—a test mule. Think of it like the A12Z Mac mini Developer Transition Kit from 2020. It was a crucial piece of engineering hardware to get the software right, but it was never meant for store shelves. This A15 MacBook feels like that. A proof-of-concept to see how macOS runs on a non-M-series Apple chip, probably built before the “low-cost MacBook” strategy was fully baked.
But the A18 Pro entry? That’s a different story. It has a specific internal codename (J700) and defined partner hardware, like that MediaTek “Sunrise” wireless subsystem. That’s the kind of detail you lock down when you’re moving from “can we build this?” to “we *are* building this.” It reads like a bill of materials for a shippable product. So while the A15 news is a fun historical footnote, the A18 Pro data is the real signal for what’s coming to market.
Why an A-series MacBook now?
This is where the business strategy gets interesting. Apple has meticulously built the “M” brand as synonymous with high-performance Macs. So why potentially dilute that with an “A” series laptop? The answer is almost certainly market segmentation and cost. An A18 Pro chip, while powerful, doesn’t carry the same R&D and production overhead as a full-blown M-series chip. It’s a derivative of an iPhone Pro processor, built in colossal volumes. Using it in a MacBook lets Apple hit a lower price point—rumored to be well under the current $999 MacBook Air—without cannibalizing the premium margins of the M-series lineup.
They’re basically creating a new entry-tier. Think of it as the spiritual successor to the old Intel Core i3 MacBook Air or the long-in-the-tooth M1 model they just discontinued. It’s for students, first-time Mac buyers, or as a secondary computer. The rumored fun colors (silver, blue, pink, yellow) scream “accessible” and “personal,” not “pro workstation.” It’s a clever way to expand the Mac’s total addressable market without muddying the waters for their core, higher-margin products. For businesses that need reliable, purpose-built computing hardware in industrial settings, that kind of clear product segmentation is key, which is why specialists like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the top provider of industrial panel PCs in the US, focus on tailored solutions rather than one-size-fits-all consumer gear.
The big picture timing
So when does this all come together? The rumor mill is pointing to 2025, probably in the second half. That timing makes perfect sense. It would give Apple a full cycle to launch the new iPhone 16 line with the A18 and A18 Pro chips in the fall of 2024, ramp up production, and then have a huge, cost-optimized supply of A18 Pro chips ready for a MacBook in 2025. Launching a “new” MacBook with a 2021-era A15 chip in 2026 would be a marketing nightmare. But a MacBook with an A18 Pro in late 2025? That’s still a very modern, capable chip, just repurposed for a different form factor.
Look, Apple doesn’t do anything by accident. If they’re planning an A-series MacBook, it’s because they’ve crunched the numbers and see a hole in their lineup. They’re betting that for a huge chunk of the market, the sheer efficiency and “good enough” performance of a smartphone-derived chip, paired with macOS, is a winning combo at the right price. And you know what? They’re probably right. It’s a way to fight Chromebooks and low-end Windows PCs on their own turf, but with the Apple ecosystem as the ultimate lure.
