The white MacBook, discontinued for consumers last July but available for educational purchases since then, has finally met its end. Made known on Wednesday, Apple has notified resellers that the iconic laptop is now classified as “end of life,” ceasing official sales.
First noted by MacRumors, Apple’s decision to finally kill its lowest-price laptop option comes just weeks after Apple made its first official push into education with the iPad.
It is likely that Apple wishes to shift its remaining MacBook purchasers to iPads which will lower costs for educational institutions compared to the MacBook as well as offer Apple greater profit via the sale and use of digital textbooks and other interactive educational media that is only available on the iPad.
Institutions which do not feel that the iPad will meet their needs can now purchase MacBook Airs, which start at US$999 (not counting any education discounts), $100 more than the outgoing MacBook’s price.
The white MacBook was first introduced in May 2006, replacing the iBook and bringing Intel processors to Apple’s portable consumer market for the first time. The model that sold up until today was last updated in May 2010.