Apple explains MacBook Neo’s unique branding and name

MacBook Neo is the latest addition to the Mac lineup, and it comes with a unique name for an Apple product. Here’s why Apple says it chose the ‘MacBook Neo’ name.

Why Neo? Apple ‘wanted something that felt fun and friendly, and fresh’

In the weeks leading up to this week’s MacBook Neo unveiling, rumors about the product indicated its name would just be ‘MacBook.’

Apple has sold a ‘MacBook’ sans suffix before, and for a budget-friendly entry model, calling it ‘MacBook’ would align well with naming schemes for the iPhone and iPad too.

But Apple had other plans, and MacBook Neo is here.

Lance Ulanoff at TechRadar theorized that that ‘Neo’ had to do with colors. “Think about it: “Neo” is one letter short of “Neon,” and these colors, especially Citrus and Blush, have the boldness of neon lights.”

Then he got the official explanation from Apple. Ulanoff writes:

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

Even though ‘Neo’ is an odd addition to the existing Apple naming schemes, it certainly does make sense as something new and fresh.

That emphasis on creating a unique name was reiterated by Novielli when Ulanoff compared the product to the previous 12-inch MacBook.

“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,” she explained.

What do you think of the MacBook Neo name, and Apple’s explanation? Let us know in the comments.

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