Report: Apple to unveil light-weight notebook models in '06

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Among all brand-name notebook computer makers, Apple Computer is set to take center stage next year with new stylish "light-weight models," according to an online report.



"Apple is projected to ship 3.27 million notebook computers worldwide next year, an increase of 42 percent compared to 2.29 million units this year, according to study results released by the Topology Research Institute," wrote the Taipei Times.



The large increase in shipments would likely boost Apple's worldwide notebook market share from 3.9 to 4.7 percent, the study found.



"Compared to other makers which will post only moderate growth, Apple's performance is significant and worth paying attention to," Topology analyst Simon Yang told the Times.



Yang predicts the company "will unveil light-weight models with a stylish design aimed at luring female users."



The analyst expects a 12-inch model to weigh less than 3.3 pounds and a 14-inch model to weigh less than 4.4 pounds. He did not specify whether the notebooks would be iBooks or PowerBooks.



The reliability of the analyst's predictions are unknown.



AppleInsider has reported that Apple is working on a 25-percent thinner 15-inch Intel PowerBook that could debut as early as Macworld and a 13-inch widescreen iBook that would debut slightly later.



12-inch iBooks (expected along with the 13-inch widescreen) and a 17-inch PowerBook (expected to debut mid-year) are also in the cards, sources say. However, there is no information to suggest Apple will introduce new 14-inch models, bringing the analyst's predictions into question.



Nevertheless, Yang believes the "fondness effect" generated by massive sales of iPods will be the force driving Apple notebooks in the new year.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 63
    Gawdammit! I hope these rumors prove to be true! I've been waiting for the new powerbooks since they introduced the 1st G5's like twenty years ago
  • Reply 2 of 63
    ionyzionyz Posts: 491member
    Quote:

    ...will unveil light-weight models with a stylish design aimed at luring female users.



    Flower Power, take two!



    Light-weight though, its about time. I'm expecting to lose some money next year.
  • Reply 3 of 63
    Just load it with iLife '06 with some mind-blowing upgrades to GarageBand, iPhoto and iMovie and I'm there!
  • Reply 4 of 63
    aimed at females? what the hell? no.





    keep the ibook for the females, leave us our manly powerbooks!
  • Reply 5 of 63
    Lightweight laptops?...awesome...I'm tired of carrying around this brick of a TiBook....
  • Reply 6 of 63
    If they are actually as light as this article suggests (and I'm not getting my hopes up) I'm definitely getting on. Oh yeah!
  • Reply 7 of 63
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    But are thes PB's or iB's?



    If they are Pb's, then they are truely light. If they are iB's, then they are lighter, but nowhere near what Sony and others are offering at 2.5 lbs, and lighter.



    What bothers me though, is this idea of a 13.3" widescreen unit taking over the top spot.



    A 13.3" widescreen is MUCH smaller than a 14.1" standard screen.



    If you look at the diagonal of a 14.1, and move the ruler from one corner diagonal to the other, and slide the end of the ruler up the side of the screen until you get to a 16:10 format, you will see that the screen is much smaller. Is this what most people will really want? Even with higher rez?



    The standard 12" will actually have more area.
  • Reply 8 of 63
    zozo Posts: 3,117member
    makes sense to really REALLY make a laptop that instantly reminds potential buyers/switchers of an iPod...



    So... lets see... umm, glossy black and white models? some polished metal here or there? and really really pushing it, maybe an integrated iTunes controller like on iPod that can be used system wide... or maybe just use the thumbpad as an iPod type controller...



    boh...
  • Reply 9 of 63
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ZO





    So... lets see... umm, glossy black and white models? some polished metal here or there?




    Let's hope it won't scratch as easily as the iPods.
  • Reply 10 of 63
    I don't know why this type of banality is news worthy?!

    Of course that's how much they'll weigh because that's how much Intel based laptops weigh!

    Wow, you really do need to be an analyst to be so smart...



    Quote:

    The reliability of the analyst's predictions are unknown.



    Then why bother reporting it?
  • Reply 11 of 63
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by skatman

    I don't know why this type of banality is news worthy?!

    Of course that's how much they'll weigh because that's how much Intel based laptops weigh!

    Wow, you really do need to be an analyst to be so smart...







    Then why bother reporting it?




    Because this is a RUMORS site, and there is an interest in rumors hers?
  • Reply 12 of 63
    louzerlouzer Posts: 1,054member
    Wouldn't a lighter laptop really lure business travellers, not women. Not sure where this female thing comes from.
  • Reply 13 of 63
    I used a 3 pound IBM ThinkPad X Series before switching to a PB and it was a great size for business travel - especially on overseas business trips. I don't think Apple will pass up this market, even if it is held to the 12" iBooks and 12" PBs. Most people will have no problem with an external optical drive if that approach is necessary, which was the case with the X Series.



    We'll know 3 weeks from tomorrow, but I can see Apple blowing our minds with the Mactels - especially in the notebook ranges.
  • Reply 14 of 63
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    I don't get how these people can know this in such detail.



    Either there are some seriously loose lips at Apple.



    Or these guys are just talking out their a**.
  • Reply 15 of 63
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Louzer

    Wouldn't a lighter laptop really lure business travellers, not women. Not sure where this female thing comes from.



    I think it would be good for both.



    Remember where this is coming from. The far east. They think of women's needs more than we do here.
  • Reply 16 of 63
    Isnt this the same news as two weeks ago? And the same news as a week ago? And the same news as...
  • Reply 17 of 63
    kolchakkolchak Posts: 1,398member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by melgross

    Remember where this is coming from. The far east. They think of women's needs more than we do here.



    This isn't about women's "needs" like low weight or thinness. The original quote from the article is "light-weight models with a stylish design aimed at luring female users." It's female-targeted style that would be off-putting to men. Not many businessmen want to carry a "girly" laptop.



    I'm definitely hoping for something thin and light to replace my 12" PB. 5 pounds is just too much for such a small machine. Now if Apple were to surprise the analysts (as they've done before) with an even lighter machine, say a 2.5 pounder, they'd have to beat customers off with a stick. And that includes me.
  • Reply 18 of 63
    macgregormacgregor Posts: 1,434member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Slotracer152

    Lightweight laptops?...awesome...I'm tired of carrying around this brick of a TiBook....



    I hear ya brother! I've been using a TiBook that I bought used on line 2 years ago and I still think it is the best laptop ever designed!!



    Apple could go right back to it and make it an 11 incher, keyboard width and widescreen ratio and it would be better than the Vaio's that seem to be the best in that segment. I haven't used a Thinkpad, but they always seemed like plastic toys to me even though their size and that retractable-ish keyboard was innovative.



    The current PBooks especially the 12" are still great values and power to size and I see tons of people with iBooks, but it think Apple can afford to brighten the metals to beyond matte aluminum. Get some anodized black and red in the mix and they could recreate the buzz of the early iMacs.



    I think the light notebooks need an iBook and PBook versions - one for execs and one for the iPod folks.
  • Reply 19 of 63
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    Lighter sounds good. But I can't really go any smaller.



    Those sub sized Sony's are too small and my hands are too large.



    I wouldn't mind being able to write on the screen.
  • Reply 20 of 63
    Quote:

    Originally posted by melgross

    Because this is a RUMORS site, and there is an interest in rumors hers?



    It is getting silly though and we've still weeks to go before MWSF.



    I think everything bar a PowerMac update has been rumoured now and some of it is just totally impossible. It'll be dual-core Yonah Shuffles with holographic video screens next.
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