Apple Embraces Value with '990,000 Won' MacBook and iPhone Launch Today

Official Launch of MacBook Neo and iPhone 17e

List Price Set at 990,000 Won; MacBook Neo Drops to 850,000 Won with Student Discount

Emphasizing Cost-Performance Amid Surge in Memory Semiconductor Prices

Apple has unveiled new smartphones and laptops that emphasize "cost-effectiveness" (performance relative to price). Amid the recent surge in memory semiconductor prices, the company has taken a bold step by either freezing or significantly lowering the prices of its new products. While competitors have been forced to raise device prices due to the pressure of rising memory costs, Apple has introduced a new strategy that differs from previous approaches, drawing attention to whether this move will drive strong sales.

On March 11, Apple is launching new products in Korea, including smartphones, laptops, tablet PCs, and monitors. Starting today, the iPhone 17e, MacBook Neo, MacBook Air (M5), MacBook Pro (M5), iPad Air (M4), and Studio Display will be available for purchase through Apple Stores and major e-commerce platforms.

Apple's MacBook Neo launching on the 11th. Provided by Apple

Among these, the MacBook Neo and iPhone 17e stand out for their relatively affordable prices. Both products are set at 990,000 won. These two models are now the most affordable options within the current MacBook and iPhone lineups and are the only ones priced under 1 million won. This marks a departure from Apple's previous premium strategy, which involved setting high prices for earlier products.

Even when examining the product specifications, Apple's pricing appears reasonable. The iPhone 17e, for example, offers twice the base storage (256GB) compared to its predecessor, the iPhone 16e. It also features the latest Apple A19 chipset and introduces MagSafe, a magnetic wireless charging function absent in the previous model—all while keeping the price unchanged. Given the improved performance, this effectively amounts to a price reduction. The MacBook Neo can be purchased for as low as 850,000 won with the student discount applied.

The pricing of these two products stands out because it remains reasonable despite the recent spike in memory semiconductor prices, such as RAM. The artificial intelligence (AI) boom has driven demand for memory semiconductors like HBM used in AI accelerators, which in turn has caused RAM prices for devices like smartphones to rise. In fact, the Galaxy S26 series from Samsung Electronics, also officially launching on the same day, is priced 99,000 won to 209,000 won higher than its predecessor, depending on capacity. The previously released Galaxy Book 6 series also ranges from a minimum of 2.71 million won to a maximum of 4.93 million won, depending on specifications.

Apple's iPhone 17e launching on the 11th. Provided by Apple

However, the lower prices have been achieved by compromising on certain specifications. The MacBook Neo is powered by the Apple A18 Pro chipset, which was introduced two years ago in the iPhone 16 Pro. Although the A18 Pro is originally an iPhone chipset, it is known to deliver performance similar to the Apple M1, the company's first proprietary laptop chipset released in 2020. The RAM capacity is only 8GB, which is less than that of recent models. The iPhone 17e also still comes with only one camera, and its display refresh rate remains at 60 Hz.

This shift by Apple, moving away from its traditional high-price strategy and adopting aggressive pricing amid rising semiconductor costs, appears to be aimed at increasing market share and drawing more users into the Apple ecosystem. The strategy involves encouraging consumers to use iPhones and MacBooks at accessible prices and then locking them into the Apple ecosystem. Some analysts also interpret this as a defensive move to maintain market share through pricing, especially as Apple's AI features—represented by Apple Intelligence—are seen as lagging behind those of competitors.

Meanwhile, Apple is expected to ramp up its efforts to capture the domestic laptop market with the launch of the new MacBook. Korea was included among the first countries to receive the MacBook Neo, Air, and Pro models. This is the first time Apple has made Korea a first-launch country for its MacBook series.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.