During Apple’s recent Q308 financial results conference call, “Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer told analysts that a ‘future product transition’ will lower gross margins from nearly 35 percent during the quarter that ended in June to about 30 percent in 2009,” John Boudreau reports for The Mercury News.
“As usual, Oppenheimer was cryptic, saying only ‘we’re delivering state-of-the-art products at price points that our competitors can’t match,'” Boudreau reports. “He added that one of the investments is ‘to introduce new products that initially cost more because they deliver an entirely new level of value to the customer… We have some of these types of investments in front of us that I can’t discuss.'”
Boudreau reports, “Analysts say the mystery could be a refresh of Macintosh laptops, a new architecture for its PC line, a new mini-laptop or a completely new product… Jennifer Colegrove, an analyst with iSuppli, is convinced Apple is cooking up a new touch-screen mini-laptop. Sales of touch-screen technology, popular with handheld devices such as the iPhone and iPod touch, are expected to double between now and 2013, becoming a $6.4 billion industry, she said in a new report.”
Boudreau reports, “Colegrove believes Apple might unveil a 7- to 10-inch laptop, joining the many other PC companies that are offering relatively low-cost and lightweight laptops. ‘If you look at Apple’s products – the iPhone, the iPod touch – what’s next?” she said. “It’s natural that you’ll see (touch technology) with notebook computers.'”
Full article, with more analysts’ speculation, here.
More speculation. Surprised they didn’t work a “Steve is dying” rant in there.
Should I get in line at the Apple store now?
“Surprised they didn’t work a “Steve is dying” rant in there.”
Since it’s the Merc, I find it odd that they didn’t mention backdating, either.
Charlie, get behind me, I’m already queueing up!
I think I am going to go ahead and sell my 15″ core duo, time for an upgrade!
Sounds exciting!!!!
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Is there no limit to what can be extrapolated from that comment?
I’m thinkin’ an iPod maxi touch. Oh, I guess that doesn’t sound so good in marketing, but you know what I mean.
All I can say is that if Dopey Dell can offer BlueRay drives as a $250 option in their fugly, cheapo Studio computer then Apple needs to get with the program pronto.
Hi ChrissyOne! You were in good form a few articles ago, that was good fun! Thanks.
I wonder why journalist are so obsessed with mimi’s? Could it be because “BIG ASS TABLE” doesn’t sound so cool anymore? Just imagine a headline that goes:- “Apple inc to launch big ass mini!” 7-10 inches long & loving it!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wonder?
I think that some if not all the iPod line might be replaced whilst being improved and/or reduced in price. Macs and MacBooks might also be replaced whilst being improved and/or reduced in price. In addition, they might also introduce a new product which is different from their existing products, that uses some existing technology in a better/new way, or introduces some new technology to do something in a new/better way – at a price that is lower than something more expensive. Any of these devices might also be bigger/smaller/the same size as another product made by either Apple or someone else.
Yeah, that sounds too close to a Maxi iPad …
Hopfully not one of these squeezed and dummy 9″, the concurrence is aliready “pooring” out these days… ! ;(
The form factor suggests a Newton…but also do consider:
Amazon bought audible.com
Now consider the convergence of “books on tape” (MP3) and distributed also in written form for the screen (Kindle) and all wrapped up into a 7″ form factor iPod Super-Touch – mini laptop Newton.
The only question is if Amazon is interested in making a deal with Apple … and allowing the Kindle to die (or be superceded) as a way of competing with Sony’s Reader.
Will have to go sniff around to see if there’s much actual business news on the Kindle’s success/failure to gage Amazon’s potential level of interest. One article from Feb 08 suggests that sales have been slow.
Time will tell…
-hh
@M.X.N.T.4.1
I was thinkin’ the exact same thing, only different.
“The time has come,” the Walrus said,
“To talk of many things:
Of shoes–and ships–and sealing-wax–
Of cabbages–and kings– “
I just hope this is finally the G5 laptop! Maybe, maybe??
Hmmmmmm…
It could get very interesting in the OS wars again. This mini laptop (or whatchamacallit) probably won’t run Windows, but a lot of business people will want one forcing corporations to support the Mac OS. What better way to win the desktop wars than concede the desktop war and redefine computing!! That way, you own the new definition of computing and let the legacy keepers deal with their burdens!
what about this is new??
Apple to launch the iPod Machismo. 13″ multi-touch, multi use device with a 128GB SSD (or 320 HHD option), 2 GB of DDR3 RAM, iSight camera, (HSDPA/EVDO option), 802.11N, Bluetooth, USB, Firewire 800, HDMI, iPod Dock connector all in the form-factor of an iPod touch just 13″ long and ready to pump-up the competition.
Still waiting for the iNewton …
I don’t want a 13″ inch. I want something in the 8-12″ realm to replace my 12″ G4 Powerbook. It’s still a work horse but I also need to get something that is a bit lighter. For me, the current MacBook Air does not fit the bill. Here’s hoping…
I think it’s clear from other news that the comment made during the financial report refers to a refresh of the iPod and MacBook lines.
Frankly, I’m not quite sure what purpose a tablet would serve. I’ve been following this issue for a long time and I’ve heard some people speak enthusiastically about the idea. But I don’t quite see how it would work. if you need to type then you need a keyboard and a portable notebook is ideal. If you need portability then an iPhone is ideal. How exactly would one use a tablet Mac?
Seems quite wrong-headed to me.
All of her arguments would equally apply to a small tablet form factor which seems more likely than a tiny laptop at this point.
If Apple wanted to make a small laptop it would have responded to all the die-hard users of the 12″ powerbook who were crying out for a replacement for years.
Also a tiny laptop just cannibalises Apple’s key market without adding much at all. Finally, why do this at all if you are not going to put the same multi-touch tech into the larger laptops? This makes no sense unless the entire laptop line transitions to the same tech and that would (yet again) be a danger to Apple’s biggest and most significant market.
It’s gonna be a long, rectangular touch screen that straps to your forearm. It’ll kinda be like that thing the alien in the movie ‘Predator’ used to nuke his own arse. Explosives not included.
Yes … a “cinema” version of the 12″ iBook. Oh, wait, they sorta did that. No, I mean same width as the 12″, but not as deep. Would that work out to a 10″ screen?
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OK, I went and grabbed a couple of suit coats out of my “you still HAVE these” closet and measured. Pockets are five to six inches wide. That’s how deep the mini should be – just barely pocketable. It can be nine inches wide, but only that deep. Nine inches wide would just support a “full-sized” keyboard, as would five inches deep.
Go for it, Apple. How much can you stuff in that form-factor? OK, forget the built-in optical drive. We got that part.
What I’ d really prefer, in case anyone forgot, is a Mac midi – a short tower … half as tall as the Mac Pro? As we are making a wish-list, here.