The MacBook Neo is selling like crazy, the iPhone Fold could be called iPhone Ultra and Apple is closing three stores – the most important Apple news of the week from April 6th to 12th, 2026.
Welcome to the very first regular edition of Apfelpatient Weekly – our new Sunday format where we summarize, contextualize, and evaluate the Apple week. The fact that the first edition is being published right after Easter is quite fitting: Apple is currently taking a short breather after the 50th anniversary celebrations. But it wasn't exactly a quiet week.
🔥 Story of the Week: MacBook Neo – Apple's Most Beautiful Problem
The MacBook Neo has only been on the market for a little over a month – and Apple already has a problem. However, it's one that every manufacturer dreams of: demand far exceeds supply.
According to renowned analyst Tim Culpan, Apple is running out of the binned A18 Pro chips that power the MacBook Neo. What began as a clever recycling strategy - chips with defective GPU cores from iPhone 16 Pro production were used in the Neo instead of being discarded - is now becoming a logistical dilemma. Apple had originally planned for around six million units. Demand significantly exceeds this quantity.
The options currently on the table all come at a price: resuming A18 Pro production at TSMC would be expensive. Discontinuing the cheaper €699 model would be a PR disaster. And bringing forward the MacBook Neo 2 with the A19 Pro was originally planned for 2027.
Tim Cook had described the Neo at its launch as having the "best launch week ever for early adopters." Delivery times are currently two to three weeks. The fact that Apple's cheapest Mac is becoming a luxury problem is the story of the week.
📰 What Else Mattered
iOS 26.4.1 and macOS 26.4.1 released – Apple rolled out a bug fix update on Wednesday. Among other things, a problem with iCloud synchronization in some apps was fixed. As usual, Apple did not provide further details. The update closes the vulnerability until the upcoming iOS 26.5, which is currently in beta.
Artemis II: iPhone 17 Pro Max in space – The Artemis II mission crew took selfies with the iPhone 17 Pro Max in front of Earth while orbiting the moon. After their safe return, Tim Cook personally congratulated them, calling the photos a "new pinnacle of iPhone photography." A PR moment that Apple couldn't have hoped for better.
Apple to close three US stores – In June, Apple will permanently close three stores in the US, including the Apple Store in Towson, Maryland – the only unionized Apple Store in the country. Apple cites "deteriorating conditions" in the affected shopping centers.
Apple Business launches on April 14 – Apple's new all-in-one platform for businesses combines device management, productivity tools, and customer reach. Particularly noteworthy: Apple will be advertising in Apple Maps for the first time – albeit with its usual focus on data privacy.
The iPhone Fold remains on track for a September release – and could be called the iPhone Ultra – Mark Gurman confirms that Apple's first foldable smartphone will be unveiled as planned this fall. He calls it the "most significant redesign in iPhone history." At the same time, evidence is mounting regarding the final name: Two renowned leakers – Digital Chat Station and Instant Digital – independently report that Apple will market the device as the "iPhone Ultra," not the "iPhone Fold." This would fit with the existing Ultra line (Apple Watch Ultra, CarPlay Ultra). Punch-hole camera, no Face ID, Touch ID on the side – the iPhone Fold breaks with three design traditions.
"Outcome" premieres on Apple TV – The dark comedy starring Keanu Reeves, Cameron Diaz, and Jonah Hill launched on April 10th. A Hollywood star is blackmailed with a mysterious video – Apple TV has a lot to offer in April.
💡 Rumor of the Week
Apple is working on a standalone Siri app. According to Bloomberg, Apple is testing a chatbot version of Siri intended to directly compete with ChatGPT and Claude. The app will be usable via text and voice and will be integrated into iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 via so-called "extensions." Intriguingly, Gurman recently reported that Apple had no plans for a separate Siri app. Apparently, those plans have changed – and the ambitions have grown considerably.
📊 Number of the week
Apple's Mac sales grew by 9.1 percent year-over-year in the first quarter of 2026. The entire PC market grew by only 2.5 percent during the same period. The main drivers: the MacBook Neo and the new M5 MacBooks. Apple is gaining market share while the competition stagnates.
👎 Flop of the Week
Apple's retail retreat. Three more US stores are closing – and one of them is the iconic Towson store, Apple's only unionized location. Apple justifies the closures with "deteriorating conditions" at shopping malls. That may be true in individual cases. But the signal it sends is not good – especially at a time when Apple is expanding its services strategy and should actually be strengthening direct customer contact.
🔭 What's Coming Next Week
- April 14: Apple Business officially goes live
- April 15: Series premiere of "Margo’s Got Money Troubles" on Apple TV starring Elle Fanning and Michelle Pfeiffer
- iOS 26.5 Beta: The testing phase continues – the update is expected at the end of April or May.
- April 28: New SDK requirements for the App Store come into effect.
💬 My opinion: Apple's best idea came from recycling leftovers
The MacBook Neo is a fascinating product – not just because of its price, but because of the story behind it. Apple has turned rejected chips into a best-selling notebook. Chips that would otherwise have ended up in the trash now power the most affordable Mac ever. That's not just clever, that's brilliant.
But therein lies the irony: A strategy based on "free" chips cannot be scaled indefinitely. The Neo impressively demonstrates that millions of people have been waiting for an affordable Mac. But it also shows that Apple needs a long-term plan that goes beyond recycling.
The crucial question now is: Will Apple accept lower margins to meet demand? Or will the company wait patiently until enough A19 Pro rejects accumulate for the Neo 2? Both would be typical Apple – and both would have strategic consequences.
What impresses me most personally is that the Neo has proven that "affordable Mac" and "typical Apple experience" don't have to be mutually exclusive. If Apple understands this, the Neo could not only become the most popular Mac – but the beginning of a whole new era for the Mac. (Image: Apfelpatient)
