“Apple Computer is believed to be prepping one final update to its PowerPC-based PowerBook G4 product line that could be unveiled at the end of next month, AppleInsider has learned,” Kasper Jade and Katie Marsal report for AppleInsider. “Reliable sources say the PowerBook update is slated for an introduction during the third week of September at Apple Expo Paris, but has recently fallen into a rut that could force a delay or even cause the company to scrap the revision entirely.”

Jade and Marsal report that the new PowerBooks are expected to gain a 300MHz speed boost that would put the 17-inch model at or near 2GHz [currently, Apple PowerBooks top out at 1.67GHz] and that at least one of the two new models will also gain a higher resolution (1920 x 1200 pixels) WUXGA display.

[UPDATE: 8/12, 11:15am ET: AppleInsider has revised their original report without noting the revision to state, "At the high-end, the new PowerBooks are expected to gain a mere 30MHz speed boost that would put the 15-inch and 17-inch models at 1.7GHz."]

AppleInsider also reports that Apple may be planning to abandon its 12-inch PowerBook offering.

More details in the full report here.

MacDailyNews Note: There has been no official announcement from either Apple Computer or Apple Expo that Apple CEO Steve Jobs will be the keynote speaker. No keynote speaker has yet been named.

Related MacDailyNews articles:
Analyst: Apple CEO Jobs to make ‘significant announcement’ during September 20 Aple Expo keynote – August 09, 2005
Steve Jobs to keynote Apple Expo Paris 2005 on September 20 – August 04, 2005