Apple's 11-inch MacBook Air 'flying off the shelves' alongside iPad
Apple saw a healthy demand for all of its products across the board on Black Friday, but the iPad and new MacBook Air were particularly strong sellers over the weekend, according to financial experts.
Piper Jaffray
Analyst Gene Munster and his team of researchers spent 7 hours in Apple Stores on Black Friday, the biggest retail shopping day of the year. They found that the iPad is expanding its demographics, on its way to becoming the "Mac of the masses."
"We noticed that the iPad his gaining traction (driven by lower price vs. the Mac) among demographics in which the Mac has historically not been successful," Munster wrote. "The bottom line is that Apple's addressable market is expanding with the iPad, and as a result, we believe the potential for upside from the iPad increases over the next 12 months."
Checks with Apple stores also found that Mac sales were about flat. Piper Jaffray tracked 8.2 Macs sold per store, per hour, in line with the 8.3 per hour it saw last year.
"Despite the flat [year over year] data, we remain comfortable with the Street's ~24% Mac unit growth (4.2m units) for the Dec. quarter given growth in international, eCommerce, survey error (only seven hours in the store) and factoring in the Oct. NPD data," Munster wrote.
Deutsche Bank
Analyst Chris Whitmore polled more than 150 stores over the Black Friday weekend, with more than 100 Apple retail stores, and over 50 AT&T, Verizon, Best Buy, Walmart and Target stores contacted as well. He found strong and healthy demand for all of Apple's product lines.
Whitmore noted that Apple has seen "very healthy demand" for the new MacBook Air. Employees at Apple stores indicated that the small, 11-inch MacBook Air has been particularly popular, calling it a "customer favorite" and saying that the product has been "flying off the shelves."
Discounts on the newly redesigned MacBook Air continue, with many resellers offering reduced prices for Cyber Monday. Through its Mac Pricing Matrix also included below, AppleInsider offers the best prices on Macs.
With instant discounts exclusive to AppleInsider that require no rebates through MacMall, shoppers can get a 1.40GHz 11-inch 64GB MacBook Air for $950.59 ($50 savings), 1.40GHz 11-inch 128GB MacBook Air for $1,117.19 ($81.81 savings), 1.86GHz 13-inch 128GB MacBook Air for $1,205.39 ($93.61 savings), or a 1.86GHz 13-inch 256GB MacBook Air for $1,489.59 ($109.41 savings). Meanwhile, MacConnection also offers a entry level 11-inch MacBook Air for AppleInsider readers a few dollars cheaper through its use of mail-in rebates.
Kaufman Bros.
Despite typical modest discounts, Apple's retail stores saw heavy foot traffic for Black Friday, analyst Shaw Wu noted. He noted that Black Friday weekend typically accounts for 10 percent of holiday sales, and Apple saw strong uptake of the iPad, iPod and MacBook Air.
"Overall product availability appears much improved compared to previous quarters," Wu said. "However, we picked up spot shortages on iPod nanos as well as some iPod touches at several third-party retailers. Our sources indicate that this is due to unexpected strong demand as many thought stand-alone MP3 players were a 'dead' category."
HE expects Apple to sell about 6 million iPads and 16.5 million iPads, though he said those numbers "could turn conservative." He has also predicted sales of 4 million Macs and 15.5 million iPhones.
Piper Jaffray
Analyst Gene Munster and his team of researchers spent 7 hours in Apple Stores on Black Friday, the biggest retail shopping day of the year. They found that the iPad is expanding its demographics, on its way to becoming the "Mac of the masses."
"We noticed that the iPad his gaining traction (driven by lower price vs. the Mac) among demographics in which the Mac has historically not been successful," Munster wrote. "The bottom line is that Apple's addressable market is expanding with the iPad, and as a result, we believe the potential for upside from the iPad increases over the next 12 months."
Checks with Apple stores also found that Mac sales were about flat. Piper Jaffray tracked 8.2 Macs sold per store, per hour, in line with the 8.3 per hour it saw last year.
"Despite the flat [year over year] data, we remain comfortable with the Street's ~24% Mac unit growth (4.2m units) for the Dec. quarter given growth in international, eCommerce, survey error (only seven hours in the store) and factoring in the Oct. NPD data," Munster wrote.
Deutsche Bank
Analyst Chris Whitmore polled more than 150 stores over the Black Friday weekend, with more than 100 Apple retail stores, and over 50 AT&T, Verizon, Best Buy, Walmart and Target stores contacted as well. He found strong and healthy demand for all of Apple's product lines.
Whitmore noted that Apple has seen "very healthy demand" for the new MacBook Air. Employees at Apple stores indicated that the small, 11-inch MacBook Air has been particularly popular, calling it a "customer favorite" and saying that the product has been "flying off the shelves."
Discounts on the newly redesigned MacBook Air continue, with many resellers offering reduced prices for Cyber Monday. Through its Mac Pricing Matrix also included below, AppleInsider offers the best prices on Macs.
With instant discounts exclusive to AppleInsider that require no rebates through MacMall, shoppers can get a 1.40GHz 11-inch 64GB MacBook Air for $950.59 ($50 savings), 1.40GHz 11-inch 128GB MacBook Air for $1,117.19 ($81.81 savings), 1.86GHz 13-inch 128GB MacBook Air for $1,205.39 ($93.61 savings), or a 1.86GHz 13-inch 256GB MacBook Air for $1,489.59 ($109.41 savings). Meanwhile, MacConnection also offers a entry level 11-inch MacBook Air for AppleInsider readers a few dollars cheaper through its use of mail-in rebates.
Kaufman Bros.
Despite typical modest discounts, Apple's retail stores saw heavy foot traffic for Black Friday, analyst Shaw Wu noted. He noted that Black Friday weekend typically accounts for 10 percent of holiday sales, and Apple saw strong uptake of the iPad, iPod and MacBook Air.
"Overall product availability appears much improved compared to previous quarters," Wu said. "However, we picked up spot shortages on iPod nanos as well as some iPod touches at several third-party retailers. Our sources indicate that this is due to unexpected strong demand as many thought stand-alone MP3 players were a 'dead' category."
HE expects Apple to sell about 6 million iPads and 16.5 million iPads, though he said those numbers "could turn conservative." He has also predicted sales of 4 million Macs and 15.5 million iPhones.
Comments
With instant discounts exclusive to AppleInsider that require no rebates through MacMall, shoppers can get a 1.40GHz 11-inch 64GB MacBook Air for $950.59 ($50 savings), 1.40GHz 11-inch 128GB MacBook Air for $1,117.19 ($81.81 savings), 1.86GHz 13-inch 128GB MacBook Air for $1,205.39 ($93.61 savings), or a 1.86GHz 13-inch 256GB MacBook Air for $1,489.59 ($109.41 savings).
"Deep hardware discounts suggest sluggish sales of [Apple MacBook Air]"?
"Deep hardware discounts suggest sluggish sales of [Apple MacBook Air]"?
LOL.... it could be a headline except 100 bucks off isn't a very "deep" discount. Last year, they ran the same Black Friday sales and we all know how bad Macs sold last year.
I wanted to get one immediately after the release - but glossy screen
Sony Vaio X series is still my choice, even though the processor is weaker.
"Deep hardware discounts suggest sluggish sales of [Apple MacBook Air]"?
Is less than 10% discount deep?
In Germany 11-inch MacBook Air did not have any discount.
I wanted to get one immediately after the release - but glossy screen
Sony Vaio X series is still my choice, even though the processor is weaker.
you might want to give it a try, I hate glossy too, but it's not that bad on the air, not at all.
He noted that Black Friday weekend typically accounts for 10 percent of holiday sales
This is all fantastic news for Apple and Mac fans, but I'm always amused by statistics like the one above, states as if it's amazingly impressive.
"Black Friday weekend" = Friday, Saturday, Sunday = 3 days.
"Holiday Sales" = Black Friday (11/26) through Christmas Day (12/25), right?
In other words, the "Holiday Sales" period equals...30 days.
Wow...10% of the sales period generates 10% of the sales? Color me shocked. Not.
OK, perhaps "Holiday Sales" runs through New Years' Eve; that's 36 days, so he's saying that 8.3% of the period generates 10% of the sales. Still not exactly an eye-opener (especially since it *is* a weekend anyway).
"HE expects Apple to sell about 6 million iPads and 16.5 million iPads, though he said those numbers "could turn conservative." He has also predicted sales of 4 million Macs and 15.5 million iPhones."
Capitalization and I assume the 16.5M is supposed to be iPods?
HE expects Apple to sell about 6 million iPads and 16.5 million iPads
Hmm, these analysts seem to be playing with mathematical magic this time as these numbers are mutually exclusive.
Anyone who says that the iPad isn't cannibalizing netbook sales is crazy.
You really can't cannibalize a market that really isn't there in the first place.
You really can't cannibalize a market that really isn't there in the first place.
How is the netbook market not there? It's been a category ever since the Asus EEE was released 3 years ago. It has certainly been declining over the last year, especially since the iPad hit the market. I know the pc makers lost a netbook sale to my wife's iPad
I find it interesting that 11 inchers were selling more then 13 as they were about the same price. Personally I think 11 is more of a niche device of suPer frequent travalers, as it is harder to type for a long time on a smaller device.
The other day I had to read a bunch of tax code, and for the first time I wished I had an iPad. I did not even had to carry the book ( I read sitting down at home) but I felt it would be easier to read on something like an iPad. Perhaps I'll get it some time soon.
How is the netbook market not there? It's been a category ever since the Asus EEE was released 3 years ago. It has certainly been declining over the last year, especially since the iPad hit the market. I know the pc makers lost a netbook sale to my wife's iPad
The emphasis it on the word really.
Apparently the first predictions forecasted sales of 50 million netbooks in 2010. Then it became 35 million. And now, it is dropping even more.
"One area that's come down drastically from a year ago is consumer interest in netbooks," Paul Carton, ChangeWave's vice president of research, said in a report. "Just 14% of those who plan on buying a laptop in the next 90 days say it will be a netbook - 10 points below our peak reading for netbooks back in June 2009.
Continuing on the current trend, it doesn't look like there will be a 'netbook' market as a subset of the 'computer' market. However, there will be those that will attempt to buck the trend and thus, I predict the 'netbook' will become the staple of the 'toybook' market.
Keep in mind, that the following definitions for Netbook, i.e.,and "Intel has released its official definition of what a netbook or notebook is -- ending disputes once and for all, at least as regards categorizing mobile computers run by the company's recently released chips: the Atom and the Core.
I find it interesting that 11 inchers were selling more then 13 as they were about the same price. Personally I think 11 is more of a niche device of suPer frequent travalers, as it is harder to type for a long time on a smaller device.
Have you gone to an Apple Store and held them both in your hands? The 11" model is absolutely minuscule, and while the 13" is certainly smaller and lighter than a 13" MBP, the difference isn't necessarily significant enough to offset the added cost compared with the performance hit and lack of ports.
This report seems to match what I was told by an employee when I was at the Apple Store in Bellevue a few weeks ago. He told me they were selling both models of the Air at a rate of one every ten minutes.
Two points:
I find it interesting that 11 inchers were selling more then 13 as they were about the same price. Personally I think 11 is more of a niche device of suPer frequent travalers, as it is harder to type for a long time on a smaller device.
The other day I had to read a bunch of tax code, and for the first time I wished I had an iPad. I did not even had to carry the book ( I read sitting down at home) but I felt it would be easier to read on something like an iPad. Perhaps I'll get it some time soon.
But the keyboards for all the MacBooks are virtually the same size.
As to the new AIRs selling well I'm not surprised at all, they are a really good deal. They answer the portability question for people that want a keyboard and Mac OS/X. Plus it is not a stretch to see them as a primary computer for a certain class of user. The AIR would be very appealing to me if they had a bulky in cellular solution, even without you need to weigh it carefully against the iPad as a secondary computer.
All in all I'm not sure what these guys are excited about. I'm not surprised that stuff is moving fast.
This is all fantastic news for Apple and Mac fans, but I'm always amused by statistics like the one above, states as if it's amazingly impressive.
"Black Friday weekend" = Friday, Saturday, Sunday = 3 days.
"Holiday Sales" = Black Friday (11/26) through Christmas Day (12/25), right?
In other words, the "Holiday Sales" period equals...30 days.
Wow...10% of the sales period generates 10% of the sales? Color me shocked. Not.
OK, perhaps "Holiday Sales" runs through New Years' Eve; that's 36 days, so he's saying that 8.3% of the period generates 10% of the sales. Still not exactly an eye-opener (especially since it *is* a weekend anyway).
"Black Friday" has never been the biggest shopping day of the holiday season, which is the Saturday before Christmas. (Panic buying.) Sales might be a little front loaded this year since Hanukkah falls relatively early.
I wanted to get one immediately after the release - but glossy screen
Sony Vaio X series is still my choice, even though the processor is weaker.
You're comparing Sony and Macbook Air just on the basis of the screen? Does the OS matter?
The emphasis it on the word really.
Apparently the first predictions forecasted sales of 50 million netbooks in 2010. Then it became 35 million. And now, it is dropping even more.
Continuing on the current trend, it doesn't look like there will be a 'netbook' market as a subset of the 'computer' market. However, there will be those that will attempt to buck the trend and thus, I predict the 'netbook' will become the staple of the 'toybook' market.
I'm aware of both the definitions you posted and I know what fits in the category. Yes sales have been trending downward for netbooks since last fall, but even selling 30M this year is no small thing.
http://lowendmac.com/ed/fox/09ff/net...too-small.html
http://www.netbooklive.net/netbook-s...out-2010-2080/
2007 4.3 million
2008 14.6 million
2009 30.2 million
The 2009 data is from the 2nd link. I think rumors of the death of the netbook are exaggerated, but it is certainly shrinking in the face of the iPad and the lowered price of notebooks. When you can get something of a similar size with something better than an Atom processor for about the same money, why buy the Atom?
Two points:
I find it interesting that 11 inchers were selling more then 13 as they were about the same price. Personally I think 11 is more of a niche device of suPer frequent travalers, as it is harder to type for a long time on a smaller device.
I don't think this is a surprise at all. As someone who is looking for my next mobile device, i've been debating over the iPad or the 11" MBA. My main point of debate is that I want a machine as simple as the iPad, but with a physical keyboard to type longer doc's and emails on the couch or in bed. So far i'm leaning to the MBA 11" but can't justify the added cost, since I only need internet and email and don't really need a full OSX machine. So seeing the numbers of the 11" over the 13"; it's obvious that many consumers are buying the 11" as an alternative to the iPad or a netbook purchase. Based on price, size and intended use. plus, the keyboard is the same size as all other MB's So typing should not be a problem.