Apple has rarely been associated with the word "budget," but with its new MacBook Neo, the company is turning conventional wisdom on its head, and according to the Asus CEO, the computer has caused significant concern among PC manufacturers worldwide.
In a conversation with investors, Hsu describes how Apple's aggressive pricing—around $600—is something the industry simply hadn't anticipated. Historically, Apple's computers have been classified as premium products, but with the Neo, the company is stepping into territory normally dominated by Windows and Chromebooks.
"In the past, Apple's pricing has always been high, so for them to release a very budget-friendly product, this is obviously a shock to the entire industry"
Hsu also describes how the PC industry is currently trying to figure out how to even respond to this product.
"In fact, across the entire PC ecosystem, there have been a lot of discussions about how to compete with this product"
At the same time, the computer has some clear limitations. Among other things, the non-upgradable memory is cited as an Achilles' heel, which according to Hsu, makes the computer best suited for web browsing and simpler tasks. At the same time, however, early tests show that the A18 chip—which is the same one used in the iPhone—delivers surprisingly high performance and, in many cases, outperforms Windows computers in the same price range.
Will the Neo be Apple's next big success and does the PC industry have reason to be concerned? We'll simply have to wait and see in the coming weeks, and for those interested, the Neo has been available in stores since March 11.
Do you plan to get a Neo, or have you perhaps already done so?