Apple MacBook Neo 2 unlikely to get touch support, claims known analyst

MacBook Neo made headlines - literally - a few days back when it arrived as Apple's first-ever MacBook offering below $600. The A18 Pro-powered notebook suffers from a plethora of drawbacks, but it still features respectable build quality and a 13-inch 500-nit Retina display that is quite pleasing to look at.

Soon after the laptop was launched, reports started emerging that the next-generation MacBook Neo 2 will feature a touchscreen display, claimed by a prominent analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo. However, in a more recent report, the analyst has claimed that the Apple MacBook Neo 2 might no longer be on track to feature a touchscreen display, citing "industry checks".

Kuo claims that the decision to grant the next MacBook Neo a touch-enabled display was to help it compete against Chromebooks, many of which feature touch displays and dominate the education market. Kuo did not divulge any further reasons as to why such plans were abandoned, but it would be safe to assume that components costs were the primary reason.

Compared to most Chromebooks that populate the market, the Apple MacBook Neo (currently $599 on Amazon) features much better performance, a superior display, and of course, full support for desktop apps.