On Wednesday, Apple unveiled the latest addition to its Mac lineup, the $599 “MacBook Neo.” The new laptop is designed to be an entry-level A18 Pro-powered MacBook. But why did Apple use the “Neo” moniker for this MacBook?
While rumors leading up to the Neo’s unveiling had indicated that the new entry-level Mac laptop would be called simply, “MacBook.” That seemed logical, and Apple had previously offered a “MacBook.” As pointed out by 9to5Mac, the naming convention also made sense, thanks to how it would align with the iPad and iPhone lineup naming conventions.
However, Apple decided to go in another direction, naming its new laptop the “MacBook Neo.” But why?
TechRadar’s Lance Ulanoff initially theorized that it was named “Neo,” due to its color selection (Silver, Indigo, Blush, and Citrus).
“Think about it: “Neo” is one letter short of “Neon,” and these colors, especially Citrus and Blush, have the boldness of neon lights.”
However, Ulanoff soon after received an official explanation from Apple:
It turns out, though, that the gemination for the name (though many were considered) is fairly transparent. “We wanted something that felt fun and friendly, and fresh, and felt like it really suited the spirit of this product,” Colleen Novielli, Director, Mac Product Marketing at Apple, told me shortly after the launch event. The idea was to come up with a name that projected youth and energy, rather like the MacBook Neo colors
“I think some may draw parallels to the MacBook product that you’re referencing, but really, you know, MacBook Neo is an entirely new product that was, again, reimagined from the ground up,” Novielli explained.
Okay, I’ll buy that! But what do you think about the name? Is it a good one?