Next-gen MacBook shipments begin ahead of 'sharp ramp'
The first shipments of Apple's next-generation 13-inch MacBooks have left China ahead of a large-scale manufacturing ramp scheduled for later this month, according to investment bank Citigroup.
In a "Company Flash" bulletin issued to clients on Monday, analyst Rich Gardner said he expects the Cupertino-based Mac maker to introduce its fall line of notebooks "within weeks."
"Field checks confirm that shipments of new MacBooks have begun, with a sharp production ramp planned for September and an introduction planned for early October," he wrote. "The most distinctive features of the new MacBook appear to be a very thin aluminum casing, an LED-backlit display and an aggressive entry-level price point."
Gardner also used the bulletin to reiterate his Buy rating on Apple's badly-beaten shares, which tacked onto Friday's losses by falling another $6.44, or 4.32 percent, to $142.50 in afternoon trading.
Following his checks in Asia, the analyst said he remains comfortable with his above-consensus September quarter earnings estimates of $1.20 per share on sales of $8.3 billion.
Surprisingly robust iPod shipments combined with sharp declines in NAND flash memory, flat panel displays and DRAM pricing should allow the company to beat its gross margin guidance despite recent iPod price cuts and the just-ended back-to-school promotion, Gardner said.
"New products, iPhone geographic expansion and sharp declines in key component prices also bode well for upside [next quarter]," he added.
Gardner's MacBook predictions fall in line with earlier reports from AppleInsider, as well as a recent report which pinned an introduction for mid-October.
In a "Company Flash" bulletin issued to clients on Monday, analyst Rich Gardner said he expects the Cupertino-based Mac maker to introduce its fall line of notebooks "within weeks."
"Field checks confirm that shipments of new MacBooks have begun, with a sharp production ramp planned for September and an introduction planned for early October," he wrote. "The most distinctive features of the new MacBook appear to be a very thin aluminum casing, an LED-backlit display and an aggressive entry-level price point."
Gardner also used the bulletin to reiterate his Buy rating on Apple's badly-beaten shares, which tacked onto Friday's losses by falling another $6.44, or 4.32 percent, to $142.50 in afternoon trading.
Following his checks in Asia, the analyst said he remains comfortable with his above-consensus September quarter earnings estimates of $1.20 per share on sales of $8.3 billion.
Surprisingly robust iPod shipments combined with sharp declines in NAND flash memory, flat panel displays and DRAM pricing should allow the company to beat its gross margin guidance despite recent iPod price cuts and the just-ended back-to-school promotion, Gardner said.
"New products, iPhone geographic expansion and sharp declines in key component prices also bode well for upside [next quarter]," he added.
Gardner's MacBook predictions fall in line with earlier reports from AppleInsider, as well as a recent report which pinned an introduction for mid-October.
Comments
I would expect invites to go out within the next 10 days though if they are starting to ship. This would appear to contradict the previous 14th October rumour.
I believe it will be introduced on September 30 which is another Tuesday and a new entry level at something around $899 which meets the profit margin reduction Peter Oppenheimer said. Though very few of my predictions come true
I just hope they don't skimp on the graphics again.
I am with you, but unfortunately I doubt it. The consumer laptop gets consumer graphics.
I wish I could pull the optical drive out of mine and swap it for a good graphics card.
$999 with solid state drives would be awesome. I just hope they don't skimp on the graphics again.
1) $999 may happen at this point.
2) SSD in the MB doesn't make much sense. SSD in a $999 MB makes absolutely no sense.
3) GMA X4500 will suit most consumers just fine.
I wonder how "aggressive" the entry-level price will be. I'm hoping they start these at $999.
I suppose it depends on what they're packing, but $999 doesn't strike me as particularly aggressive. I'd called $899 aggressive, but also unlikely for Apple.
Sounds promising. If this is all true, they'll sell boat loads of these.
It's all dependent on what Apple considers an "aggressive" entry-level price point. At the current prices it'll do well from its soild Mac base but amble along with the wider community at large. @ £399 it's a PC killer but that's never going to happen
When i train newbies i give them a few days on Dell/Acer laptops running XP and then a coupe of days on a MacBook, 9 out of 10 choose the Mac. These are company purchases but in almost all cases they then go out and buy a Mac for personal use.
Prior to this they all say the same thing that they like the look of the Mac but just can't or won't justify the extra kudos. You can go all day about like for like specification but money talks. So Apple need to lure them in, even offer something real basic to start off with.
Of course we all know this so lets hope Apple get real aggressive and go for it as there's never been a better time to use the iPod effect and switch users into the Mac platform. I'm just as excited by the prospect of this as much as an upgraded MacBook
I suppose it depends on what they're packing, but $999 doesn't strike me as particularly aggressive. I'd called $899 aggressive, but also unlikely for Apple.
A drop in profit depends on what the improvements are. How much does the aluminium cost over the polycarb case? I think 11% drop is good. Obviously a 22% drop would be better but that seems unreasonable to me.
What about the MacBook PROS?
rumor is there can be only one. Pro is dead. just shiny macbooks with extra options.
I think Jobs & Co. realize this and will choose to market their MB to a wider range of consumers this time around.
I want to be the first to predict a LOW priced, watered down Macbook. I'm talking $699-$750. Something to make people think even more about a Mac. We all know that a Mac, even with sub-entry-level specs, is better than a high end vista machine, but the general public doesn't, and when they are the same price, people will pick the machine with better harware.
I think Jobs & Co. realize this and will choose to market their MB to a wider range of consumers this time around.
Yep, that is the thinking. I think they realized this with the iphone and how people were willing to experience vastly superior software if only the hardware was accessible.
The low macbook will be a killer blockbuster for sure given the insanity of Vista and the efficiency of Leopard. But what about the 15 inch macbooks?
On the one hand, the current macbooks are presumably tried and trusted models with the major kinks ironed out.
On the other hand, the new models will have some nice new features, even if it's just aluminum.
When the current macbook generation was first released, were there problems?
( BTW - I'm a future switcher, with a Vista machine that I have hate, hate, hated for a year. Take me now! I'm ready!! )
I want to be the first to predict a LOW priced, watered down Macbook. I'm talking $699-$750. Something to make people think even more about a Mac. We all know that a Mac, even with sub-entry-level specs, is better than a high end vista machine, but the general public doesn't, and when they are the same price, people will pick the machine with better harware.
I think Jobs & Co. realize this and will choose to market their MB to a wider range of consumers this time around.
The problem with producing cheaper machines is that you have to use cheaper HW, which lowers the production quality and the performance, which makes your product look inferior. You usually have to take a lose in profit too. You can certainly sell more units, but that doesn't mean you'll make more profit in the short term and run the risk of hurting your brand in the long run. Just look at Dell and Gateway.