Apple is allegedly working on a new affordable MacBook lineup that would allow to company to better compete with Google’s Chromebook line of education-focused laptops. Apple hopes to launch the new MacBook range in 2024, according to a new DigiTimes report (via MacRumors).

Industry sources who spoke to DigiTimes claim that the purported inexpensive MacBook will be vastly different from Apple’s current MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models. The report further goes on to explain that the laptop’s outer shell is still expected to be made out of metal, with alleged “different materials” expected to be introduced in a bid to lower production costs. Lower-priced mechanical parts will also be utilized to further drag production costs down, adds the report.

Research from DigiTimes reported a significant increase in Chromebook shipments over the past few years. In 2019, over 13.9 million Chromebooks were shipped, a number that soared to over 30.4 million in 2020 and further increased to 33.5 million in 2021. This surge underscores the popularity of Google’s affordable laptops, particularly within the education sector, a trend highlighted throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although Chromebook shipments have stagnated since the conclusion of lockdowns, they continue to outpace pre-COVID levels. The growth in the adoption of Chromebooks by educational institutions has been particularly remarkable, especially when compared to Apple’s iPad, which has experienced slower sales in the education market.

The expected release date for the rumored new MacBook series seems less likely to occur in the first half of the upcoming year due to a noticeable absence of activity from major Apple suppliers such as Quanta Computer and Foxconn. As a result, DigiTimes expects the new MacBook series to go on sale during the second half of 2024 at the earliest.

As the purported MacBook is rumored to be competing with Chromebooks, its starting price could make or break the device’s success. The most affordable MacBook model in recent history was the 11-inch Macbook Air, introduced in 2010 before its discontinuation in 2016. Priced at $899, the 11-inch MacBook Air was Apple’s answer to the “netbooks” trend at the time, which mainly comprised cheaper 11-inch or 12-inch laptops primarily used to browse the internet with low-end specs and plastic builds.

Apple is likely looking to boost its market share in the educational sector as its affordable iPad strategy may have seemingly failed to capture meaningful market share from Chromebooks. This would also represent a good opportunity to boost the sales and revenue performance of the Mac amid a continued decline.