July 5th, 2006
MacBook sales explode; 15-inch version due?
DigiTimes is reporting that sales of Apple’s Intel Core Duo-powered MacBook notebooks are exceeding initial estimates:
Sales of Apple Computer’s Intel Core Duo-based MacBook laptops have been stronger than expected, boosting monthly shipments of 13.3-inch MacBooks from Taiwan-based Asustek Computer to about 120,000 units in June, up from about 100,000 units when the company started shipping the new computers in April, according to sources at Taiwan-based notebook makers.
I’m not surprised that the MacBook is doing well in the market. Pound-for-pound the MacBook probably has the best price performance ratio of any Mac ever released. At US$1,100 the MacBook is a steal. The most interesting part of the DigiTimes story is embedded in the last paragraph.
Sources contacted by Lin also noted that Apple may expand its MacBook family by introducing a 15.4-inch widescreen lineup, although the market has expected Apple to launch 12.1- and 14.1-inch MacBooks to replace similar-sized iBook laptops.
A 15.4-inch (non-Pro) MacBook might cannibalize sales of Apple’s higher profit MacBook Pro — which retails for about US$1,000 more than the consumer-oriented MacBook. Apple would be better served to leave the 15 and 17-inch models in the Pro space and introduce a 12-inch MacBook for users on the go. The only problem that may be holding back a 12-inch MacBook is heat. Remember how hot the 12-inch PowerBook G4 runs? I can’t imagine that enclosure with an Intel Core Duo chip in it. Can you?
Jason D. O'Grady is the editor of PowerPage.org, which has been publishing daily mobile technology news since December 1995. For disclosures on Jason's industry affiliations, click here or to view Jason's full profile click here.
Subscribe to The Apple Core via Email alerts or RSS.
| 07/06/06
