Apple’s new MacBook Neo has started shipping, and fresh comments from supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo add more detail to what this low-cost laptop could mean for Apple’s wider Mac lineup. The biggest takeaway is that Apple’s $599 notebook already looks like a serious volume product, while the first touchscreen MacBook still appears to be reserved for a much more expensive model further down the road.
Kuo’s latest update also sharpens the picture around Apple’s OLED plans. He now expects MacBook Neo shipments in 2026 to land at around 4.5 million to 5 million units, with roughly 2 million to 2.5 million units shipping in the first half of the year. That is a strong number for a single laptop model, especially when Apple only just started selling the device and entered mass production later than first expected.
Ming-Chi Kuo shared the update in a new post focused on MacBook Neo, Neo 2, and Apple’s broader OLED notebook roadmap.
“Neo entered small-volume production at the end of Dec. 2025,” Kuo said.
That delayed ramp helps explain why his 2026 shipment estimate is now slightly lower than earlier forecasts, even though demand still looks healthy. Kuo also says Quanta currently builds MacBook Neo, while Foxconn could join as a second supplier soon, and Luxshare is actively chasing future Neo 2 work.
Touchscreen plans still look uncertain
One of the more interesting details in Kuo’s post centers on touch support, because he now says the second-generation MacBook Neo may not get a touchscreen after all.
“Neo 2 was originally expected to feature a touch panel to compete with Chromebooks,” Kuo said, adding that his latest checks suggest it “may not adopt it.”
That fits Apple’s likely strategy, since a touchscreen MacBook still sounds like a premium feature that the company wants to save for higher-end machines instead of its cheapest notebook.
OLED MacBooks are coming later
Kuo also says Apple is still moving toward OLED MacBooks, but buyers should not expect them soon in the Air line. He expects a major MacBook Pro upgrade with OLED touch panels in late 2026 or early 2027, while the MacBook Air is tipped to switch to OLED around 2028 or 2029. For now, MacBook Neo looks set to lead Apple’s push for volume, while OLED and touch remain part of a slower, more premium roadmap.
I wonder if the decision to not have a lighted keyboards is a way to extend battery life. Maybe we aren’t giving Apple enough credit for knowing their target consumers.