Strong sales of Apple's new Thunderbolt MacBook Airs cause some stock-outs
Some locations have reportedly been sold out of Apple's newly updated Thunderbolt MacBook Air models, as consumers have been quick to embrace the refreshed thin-and-light notebook.
Checks conducted by analyst Brian White with Ticonderoga Securities have indicated that the new MacBook Air has seen "very strong" demand thus far in the U.S. He said there have been instances of temporary stock-outs of certain models at some locations.
"Overall, we sense a bit more of a preference for the higher-end 11-inch models but the 13-inch also seems to be popular," he wrote in a note to investors on Monday. "Netting this out, the MacBook Air has truly redefined the laptop computing market, in our view, and we expect this momentum to continue."
Further evidence of constraints with the MacBook Air can be found with Apple's own resellers, many of which do not have hardware in stock. Some resellers found in the AppleInsider Mac Pricing Guide (included below) do have some custom configurations currently in-stock, such as the 13.3-inch model with a 1.8GHz processor and 256GB of flash storage, available for $1,614.08 from MacMall.
The new MacBook Air models, with Intel's latest-generation Sandy Bridge processors and the new high-speed Thunderbolt port, were released last month. Like the previous-generation models, the MacBook Air starts at $999, but the discontinuation of the white MacBook makes the 11.6-inch MacBook Air Apple's only sub-$1,000 notebook.
White said the timing of the release of the new MacBook Air models is key for Apple because it will keep the company in the minds of consumers even without a new iPhone available for sale. He believes that Apple has the hottest lineup of products for the back-to-school season and holidays.
"In our view, successful Apple launches are key in driving the halo effect that drives incremental demand for other Apple products," he wrote.
Apple does not break out the MacBook Air as a percentage of total Mac sales, but White would not be surprised if the MacBook Air is the best-selling Mac product at many Apple stores. With the latest IDC and Gartner estimates pegging Apple's total share of worldwide PC sales at less than 5.1 percent, Apple has plenty of room for growth in Mac shipments.
While the new MacBook Air has found immediate success, White expects adoption of the new Thunderbolt connector to take more time. The $49 Thunderbolt cable and lack of available accessories are seen as barriers to adoption at the moment, though he expects that to change over time.
White also sees Apple releasing a new iPhone in the September timeframe, and expects a so-called "iPad 3" to arrive "ahead of the holidays" this year. He has a buy rating for AAPL stock, and has maintained a 12-month price target of $666.
Checks conducted by analyst Brian White with Ticonderoga Securities have indicated that the new MacBook Air has seen "very strong" demand thus far in the U.S. He said there have been instances of temporary stock-outs of certain models at some locations.
"Overall, we sense a bit more of a preference for the higher-end 11-inch models but the 13-inch also seems to be popular," he wrote in a note to investors on Monday. "Netting this out, the MacBook Air has truly redefined the laptop computing market, in our view, and we expect this momentum to continue."
Further evidence of constraints with the MacBook Air can be found with Apple's own resellers, many of which do not have hardware in stock. Some resellers found in the AppleInsider Mac Pricing Guide (included below) do have some custom configurations currently in-stock, such as the 13.3-inch model with a 1.8GHz processor and 256GB of flash storage, available for $1,614.08 from MacMall.
The new MacBook Air models, with Intel's latest-generation Sandy Bridge processors and the new high-speed Thunderbolt port, were released last month. Like the previous-generation models, the MacBook Air starts at $999, but the discontinuation of the white MacBook makes the 11.6-inch MacBook Air Apple's only sub-$1,000 notebook.
White said the timing of the release of the new MacBook Air models is key for Apple because it will keep the company in the minds of consumers even without a new iPhone available for sale. He believes that Apple has the hottest lineup of products for the back-to-school season and holidays.
"In our view, successful Apple launches are key in driving the halo effect that drives incremental demand for other Apple products," he wrote.
Apple does not break out the MacBook Air as a percentage of total Mac sales, but White would not be surprised if the MacBook Air is the best-selling Mac product at many Apple stores. With the latest IDC and Gartner estimates pegging Apple's total share of worldwide PC sales at less than 5.1 percent, Apple has plenty of room for growth in Mac shipments.
While the new MacBook Air has found immediate success, White expects adoption of the new Thunderbolt connector to take more time. The $49 Thunderbolt cable and lack of available accessories are seen as barriers to adoption at the moment, though he expects that to change over time.
White also sees Apple releasing a new iPhone in the September timeframe, and expects a so-called "iPad 3" to arrive "ahead of the holidays" this year. He has a buy rating for AAPL stock, and has maintained a 12-month price target of $666.
Comments
To make matters worse for the competition:
I'm one week into using my new top-of-the-line 13" i7 MBA. I'll be putting my late-2010 MBA up on craigslist this week.
All-in-all, a very solid laptop just like the 2010. I have to admit, I do enjoy having the backlit keyboard again. Performance-wise, that i7 does make VMware/Windows7 a bit snappier but not by much IMHO. The i7 does run a bit warmer, especially when Flash is running.
Had to have the thunderbolt port when I found out their new 27" LED monitor supported a dock configuration. Having a wired-ethernet port at the office will make a huge difference. Just waiting for the darn monitor to show up!
Amazing that Apple was able to squeeze that much performance out of the Core2Duo machine. Still was faster than a dedicated Windoze iX PC in everyday stuff.
I give it a solid thumbs-up. No surprise it's selling out.
But that step is done, and the machine is great!
VERY fast. It amazes me how well it performs in Quake Wars (medium settings) and other apps, compared to my old iMac. Spotlight really is instant, finally, and Lion’s early quirks are very minor compared to all the new stuff I really like having. Also, the backlit keys are much brighter than the original Air—and also easier to see (bolder letters) even with the backlight off.
And now it looks like an external Thunderbolt GPU will, before long, make this micro-thin ultraportable also serve as a high-end gaming “tower!” Complete with standard upgradable card slot.
I can’t find anything like this in the PC world without spending a LOT more, and still in the end accepting a MUCH thicker and heavier machine (and no Thunderbolt or Lion). I guess PC makers don’t want you to have SSD speed in a sub-$1000 ultraportable. They’re always out to make more money and limit your options!
By the way, if you have an iPad, give yourself a 21” Air instead: DisplayPad and other apps will give you a (slightly slow) 10" external screen for your Mac. I find it doesn’t hog the iPad’s battery much at all, either. I’m loving the dual-screen wide workspace, and an Air+iPad is still thinner and lighter in my bag than many netbooks! Plus I can grab either “half” of the setup alone, depending on what I want at the moment. (And I believe if you add an external monitor or projector, the iPad still works—as a third screen!)
The conspiracy theorists can have a field day with the analyst's $666 price target for Apple, though.
I am not kidding.
And now it looks like an external Thunderbolt GPU will, before long, make this micro-thin ultraportable also serve as a high-end gaming ?tower!? Complete with standard upgradable card slot.
Does it come with a truncate to make the payment of an arm and leg easier?
I'd like to believe in a future of affordable Thunderbolt devices like a PCIe16x bridge, but considering the cost of the CABLE alone is $50 and the cost of PCIe expansion boxes currently cost in excess of $700 not including the video card, and adding to this that not a single PC uses thunderbolt which severely limits the market (MORE so than firewire 800)...
Yea, well I won't be holding my breath. I'd love to be proven wrong, but when are we going to hit critical mass for such upgrades to leave the world of jetpacks and anti-gravity flying cars?
considering the cost of the CABLE alone is $50
Considering USB cables cost the same in '96 when they first came out...
...Thunderbolt will be adopted JUST FINE.
S
White also sees Apple releasing a new iPhone in the September timeframe, and expects a so-called "iPad 3" to arrive "ahead of the holidays" this year. He has a buy rating for AAPL stock, and has maintained a 12-month price target of $666.
Yes, Apple is a beast. The Beast.
With the MacBook Air 11-inch outselling the 13-inch model 10 to 1. That is why Apple should make also a MacBook Air 7-inch to outsell them all. Because true portability is here the number one feature!
[[..With the MacBook Air 11-inch outselling the 13-inch model 10 to 1..]]
You just making up numbers?? Where did you get the "10 to 1"?? Make it up or get it from your head? :-)
MacBook Air 7-inch
Considering USB cables cost the same in '96 when they first came out...
...Thunderbolt will be adopted JUST FINE.
Funny how that 'fact' gets bandied about without a SOURCE. Source? Citation? Bueller?
I call bullshit.
As for Thunderbolt being adopted....my whom prey tell? Hrmmm?
Oh, by the way, USB 3 cables? Cheap and widely available before Thunderbolt existed.
With the MacBook Air 11-inch outselling the 13-inch model 10 to 1.
Rubbish. All the reports I've seen suggest that the 11" model garners about 55% of MacBook Air sales and the 13" model garners about 45%.
Funny how that 'fact' gets bandied about without a SOURCE. Source? Citation?
I don't have a source, but I can remember $29 USB cables at Fry's. I believe they could have been $49 at the Apple store when first introduced.
Apple should make also a MacBook Air 7-inch to outsell them all.
If Apple ever decides to join the list of failures (OQO, UMPC, netbooks) and make a 7 inch Macbook Air, it will hopefully be with a super glossy screen especially for you.
Funny how that 'fact' gets bandied about without a SOURCE. Source? Citation? Bueller?
So you're just not old enough to remember that. Got it.
As for Thunderbolt being adopted....my whom prey tell? Hrmmm?
Sony, for one, and they hate Apple.
Oh, by the way, USB 3 cables? Cheap and widely available before Thunderbolt existed.
Okay, what's your point?