Hours before Apple's expected MacBook Pro event, CEO John Ternus posted a cryptic teaser video showing an Apple logo projected onto a wall near a city skyline, prompting speculation about a new product line built around the "Studio" name. Separately, Apple has quietly raised the price of the entry-level MacBook Neo on its US education store, trimming the student discount in response to rising memory chip costs.
A teaser that hints at naming, not confirmation
The video Ternus shared offers no explicit product reveal, but the setting - reportedly resembling a movie studio backdrop - has led observers to connect it with rumors that Apple's next MacBook generation, expected to feature OLED touchscreen displays, could carry "Studio" branding. Under this theory, Apple might introduce a Mac Studio desktop, a MacBook Studio laptop, and a matching Studio Display, positioning the lineup toward video editors, designers, and other creative professionals. Apple is reportedly demonstrating the new MacBooks to select journalists and content creators at a Los Angeles event starting at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. Until Apple confirms details, the naming and exact configuration of these machines remain speculative, based on circumstantial visual cues rather than official announcements.
If the branding materializes, it would likely coincide with renewed promotion of Apple's recently updated Creator Studio app suite, reinforcing the idea that the company is courting professional content creators with both hardware and software updates simultaneously.
MacBook Neo's education price climbs again
Separately, Apple has increased the starting price of the MacBook Neo on its US education store from $599 to $649 within the past week, according to the available pricing data. That change reduces the discount available to college students and other eligible buyers from $100 off the general retail price to just $50. Similar price increases in local currencies have reportedly occurred in other countries as well.
The Neo's pricing history illustrates how quickly costs have moved: the laptop launched at $499, rose to $599, and has now reached $649 on the education store. For general consumers, the price increased from $599 to $699 in June. Apple has attributed these increases to a shortage of memory chips, which has pushed up the cost of RAM and storage components used across the industry, not just in Apple's products.
What this means for buyers
For students and families budgeting for a new laptop, the narrowing education discount effectively raises the entry cost of Apple's most affordable MacBook. The broader memory shortage affecting RAM and storage pricing is an industry-wide supply constraint, suggesting further price adjustments are possible if component costs continue to rise. Buyers considering a purchase soon may want to weigh current pricing against the likelihood of additional increases tied to chip supply conditions.