Piper Jaffray says new MacBooks could be priced from $899

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
The stars are aligning for Apple to transition its 13-inch MacBook family into more of a premium product while simultaneously slashing prices on new models by as much as 18 percent, according to investment bank Piper Jaffray.



Reacting to Apple's announcement that it plans to hold a special notebook event on its campus next Tuesday, analyst Gene Munster told clients he believes the big news will surround a revamp of the company's entry-level MacBook line with prices starting at $899 or $999.



"We expect the new MacBooks to be cheaper. However, it is likely that the new MacBooks will be a more premium product (with new aluminum casing and gesture-based touchpad)," he wrote. "In other words, we expect the new MacBooks to be a meaningful upgrade with an average selling price 9 percent to 18 percent lower [than today's models]."



Similarly, Munster is also expecting a complete redesign of the 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros, which are likely to carry an $1899 entry-level price tag. Among the new models' selling points will be a thinner design and more sophisticated gesture-based touchpad, he said.



While the analyst isn't expecting Apple to add a new product to its MacBook family, he believes the company will also use the event to update the specs of its ultra-thin MacBook Air. Expectations for a Mac with touchscreen technology should be sidelined for a later date, however.



"While we are confident that Apple will eventually bring its touchscreen technology from the iPhone to the Mac, we do not expect to see a touchscreen Mac this year," he told clients.



Munster maintained his Buy rating and $250 price target on shares of Apple, saying next week's event should serve as a catalyst for the company's stock price.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 146
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    $250 price target.
  • Reply 2 of 146
    galleygalley Posts: 971member
    Man, am I glad I sold my Core Duo MacBook for $800 a few months ago.
  • Reply 3 of 146
    Seeing how Apple operates thus far, for $899 you're gonna get 512mb or Ram, a CD-Rom, and and a 20gig hard drive. I personally think the specs for for their low end models, their "entry MacBooks", are completely ridiculous compared to what everyone else is selling at the same price point. But that's Mac. I am very curious to see what this release has to offer.
  • Reply 4 of 146
    I was skeptical it'd make it that high even when it was over 150. It may make it to $250...but I can't see it happening in the next 12-18 months.
  • Reply 5 of 146
    abster2coreabster2core Posts: 2,501member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by polvadis View Post


    Seeing how Apple operates thus far, for $899 you're gonna get 512mb or Ram, a CD-Rom, and and a 20gig hard drive. I personally think the specs for for their low end models, their "entry MacBooks", are completely ridiculous compared to what everyone else is selling at the same price point. But that's Mac. I am very curious to see what this release has to offer.



    That has to be the most asinine and uncorroborated statement I have ever seen.



    Best you troll elsewhere. We really couldn't give a rat's ass what you think
  • Reply 6 of 146
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by polvadis View Post


    Seeing how Apple operates thus far, for $899 you're gonna get 512mb or Ram, a CD-Rom, and and a 20gig hard drive. I personally think the specs for for their low end models, their "entry MacBooks", are completely ridiculous compared to what everyone else is selling at the same price point. But that's Mac. I am very curious to see what this release has to offer.



    I think they'll finally come around. Macs often have competitve prices when first introduced but then tend to languish as component prices plummet. The current pricing of Macbooks is a return to their former days of half the power, twice the price (compared to PC makers). But I expect things will on Tuesday. I don't even think the lower prices will have an effect on their margins considering how substantially prices of RAM, CPUs, hard drives, LEDs, etc have fallen. Looking forward to owning my first Mac.
  • Reply 7 of 146
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Abster2core View Post


    That has to be the most asinine and uncorroborated statement I have ever seen.



    Best you troll elsewhere. We really couldn't give a rat's ass what you think



    Dude, compared to what others post on here this you chose this as the most asinine. Very professional there buddy.
  • Reply 8 of 146
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    For $899 you'll get a single panel or a two panel MacBook touch... and you will like it!
  • Reply 9 of 146
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by stonefree View Post


    I think they'll finally come around. Macs often have competitve prices when first introduced but then tend to languish as component prices plummet. The current pricing of Macbooks is a return to their former days of half the power, twice the price (compared to PC makers).





    A bit of an over statement. While it being true that the MB has not yet had the current Intel updates. Montevina is not twice the speed of Santa Rosa. It is only a slight bump in performance. Including Vista the overall performance isn't much different.
  • Reply 10 of 146
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by polvadis View Post


    Seeing how Apple operates thus far, for $899 you're gonna get 512mb or Ram, a CD-Rom, and and a 20gig hard drive. I personally think the specs for for their low end models, their "entry MacBooks", are completely ridiculous compared to what everyone else is selling at the same price point. But that's Mac. I am very curious to see what this release has to offer.



    I'm not sure what you mean. Over the last two years everytime Intel has launched a major new architecture Apple was the first to use its best mobile chipsets. PC OEM often use slower chips with less L2 cache.
  • Reply 11 of 146
    wobegonwobegon Posts: 764member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    ...he believes the company will also use the event to update the specs of its ultra-thin MacBook Air.



    I'm crossing my fingers for a 1.8" 120GB HDD and/or 128GB SSD option. That'll make it far more compelling as I'm currently about 10GB away from filling up my 15" PowerBook G4's 80GB (74.53GB formatted) HDD.
  • Reply 12 of 146
    cubertcubert Posts: 728member
    A touchscreen? More likely a touchpad as with the laptops. Imagine holding your arms out all day long to work on a monitor screen in front of you.
  • Reply 13 of 146
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wobegon View Post


    I'm crossing my fingers for a 1.8" 120GB HDD and/or 128GB SSD option. That'll make it far more compelling as I'm currently about 10GB away from filling up my 15" PowerBook G4's 80GB (74.53GB formatted) HDD.



    The 120GB single platter 1.8" HDD is the obvious transition for the MBA. I've read that it's a much better drive, and I think the price difference is negligible. As for the 128GB SSD option, It's hard to find info on what Apple will use and what they will cost as they aren't all made the same. Are Intel's SSD options available yet? Will Intel use Apple to showcase their new drives?



    PS: The MBA upgrade to Montevina will still offer the same 1.6GHz and 1.8GHz CPU, which I think will upset many potential buyers. The power usage will be reduced slightly, but I hope they do something more drastic to make the battery last considerably longer.
  • Reply 14 of 146
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by polvadis View Post


    Seeing how Apple operates thus far, for $899 you're gonna get 512mb or Ram, a CD-Rom, and and a 20gig hard drive. I personally think the specs for for their low end models, their "entry MacBooks", are completely ridiculous compared to what everyone else is selling at the same price point. But that's Mac. I am very curious to see what this release has to offer.



    No way.



    A more realistic prediction:



    2.4 GHz processors

    2 Gigs of RAM

    200 Gig HDD



    Options for:

    2.6 GHz processors

    4 to 8 Gigs of RAM

    250 to 300 Gig HDD or 128 Gig SSD



    We're looking at incremental improvements to the specs in addition to the sweet new cases and lower price point.
  • Reply 15 of 146
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    Slash the pr$ce of the MBA- forget the spec updates. The MacorexicBookAir will die a slooow and painful death if it's not priced lower.
  • Reply 16 of 146
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    The stars are aligning for Apple to transition its 13-inch MacBook family into more of a premium product while simultaneously slashing prices on new models by as much as 18 percent, according to investment bank Piper Jaffray.



    The moons of Vega too
  • Reply 17 of 146
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mezzkat View Post


    4 to 8 Gigs of RAM



    I can only find 4GB SODIMMS in 667MHz speeds, nothing for the newer 800MHz+ speeds.
  • Reply 18 of 146
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by teckstud View Post


    Slash the pr$ce of the MBA- forget the spec updates. The MacorexicBookAir will die a slooow and painful death if it's not priced lower.



    Will it die faster than Sony's new $4,450 Vaio TT?
  • Reply 19 of 146
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TenoBell View Post


    Will it die faster than Sony's new $4,450 Vaio TT?



    I don't know- did the Lusitania sink faster than the Titanic?
  • Reply 20 of 146
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by teckstud View Post


    I don't know- did the Lusitania sink faster than the Titanic?



    Is it possible you don't understand the market as well as Sony-Apple and others who sell similar notebooks.
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