Recently uncovered internal debug files have revealed that Apple engineers tested a version of a MacBook running an A15 Bionic processor, a chip originally designed for earlier iPhones and iPads, MacRumors is reporting.
This unusual discovery suggests Apple engineers used the older silicon as part of development work while preparing a new, more affordable MacBook model. These details were first examined in MacRumors’ analysis of internal kernel debug kit files that briefly appeared on Apple’s website but were swiftly taken down.
The debug files include multiple entries for unreleased MacBook platforms. One entry labeled under a project code “mac14p” refers to a test configuration built around Apple’s A15 Bionic. That processor debuted back in 2021 and has since powered a range of iPhones and iPads, including the iPhone 13 line and certain iPad models. Seeing it referenced in relation to a laptop has raised eyebrows because Apple’s current Mac lineup has used its own M-series chips since 2020.
In the same collection of files, there was another MacBook listing that seems more closely tied to an upcoming consumer product. That entry points to a device using an A18 Pro chip alongside a wireless subsystem codenamed ‘Sunrise,’ which is attributed to MediaTek hardware.
The presence of a distinct identifier and subsystem details in that entry make it seem likely to represent the MacBook Apple plans to release, especially as multiple industry analysts have suggested Apple will introduce a lower cost laptop powered by an iPhone class processor.
While it is technically feasible to build a laptop with an A15 chip, there is widespread belief that Apple never intended to sell such a machine. The A15 is now several years old, and performance measures for it lag behind even current entry level iPad models. Testing with the older chip was probably part of early feasibility work to gauge how Apple silicon might function in a notebook.
Reports from respected supply-chain analysts have indicated that a low cost MacBook powered by an A18 Pro is likely to enter production soon, possibly in late 2025 or early 2026, and could be offered in multiple colors with a screen size around 13-inches.
Want to see more of our stories on Google?
P.S. Want to keep this site truly independent? Support us by buying us a beer, treating us to a coffee, or shopping through Amazon here. Links in this post are affiliate links, so we earn a tiny commission at no charge to you. Thanks for supporting independent Canadian media!
