Apple has secured its largest-ever education deal for Mac computers, supplying 170,000 MacBook Neo laptops to teachers and school staff across the Philippines. The agreement with the country’s Department of Education was highlighted during Apple’s latest quarterly earnings discussion and marks a major win for the company’s newest budget-friendly laptop in emerging markets.
The MacBook Neo, announced in March 2026, is Apple’s first laptop powered by an iPhone chip, the A18 Pro. It launched as the company’s most affordable MacBook. Originally priced at $499 for the education sector, the price rose to $649 in late October 2026. Despite the increase, it remains the lowest-cost MacBook available from Apple, making it attractive for large-scale institutional purchases.
During the earnings call, Apple CEO John Ternus confirmed the scale of the Philippine order. “We recently secured our biggest education deal ever for Mac with the Department of Education in the Philippines,” Ternus said. “They’re going to deploy 170,000 MacBook Neos to teachers and staff.” He added that deals of this kind bring more users into Apple’s ecosystem and help drive broader business growth.
In the Philippine education market, the 256GB MacBook Neo is priced at approximately $721.25, while the 512GB configuration costs about $837. These local education prices reflect the volume purchase arranged with the Department of Education. The laptops will be distributed to teachers and staff rather than students, according to the information shared by Apple.
The deal forms part of Apple’s wider Q4 2026 results. The company reported revenue of $114.5 billion for the quarter, an increase from $102.5 billion in the same period of 2025. While the Philippine education order is only one element of overall performance, company executives pointed to it as evidence of growing demand for accessible Mac hardware in education systems outside traditional high-income markets.
The MacBook Neo’s combination of an iPhone-derived processor and lower entry price has positioned it as a practical option for governments and school systems seeking modern computing tools without the cost of higher-end MacBook models. Apple has framed the Philippine agreement as both a significant hardware sale and a longer-term opportunity to expand its presence among educators who may later influence student and institutional purchasing decisions.
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No additional technical specifications, delivery timelines, or software details beyond those disclosed by Apple were provided in the announcement. The focus remains on the volume of units ordered, the identity of the buyer, and the strategic value of introducing large numbers of new users to the Mac platform through an education channel.
The transaction underscores how price-sensitive markets and public-sector education programs can still generate substantial volume for Apple’s entry-level hardware. With 170,000 units heading to Philippine teachers and staff, the MacBook Neo has delivered the company’s biggest single Mac education contract to date.
