Apple will introduce significant changes to the design and price points of its Mac lineup next year in order to combat an industry-wide decline in PC sales, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Major changes include the introduction of a new 12-inch MacBook Air with Retina Display and a “budget” iMac model at a lower price point.
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Mr. Kuo’s forecasts for the Cupertino company were delivered via a new research note to investors this weekend. A new 12-inch MacBook Air model will reportedly be introduced with a “high resolution display,” an even thinner chassis than the current model, and a design that will “redefine laptop computing once again.” The claim matches a report last week from NPD DisplaySearch, which predicted a 2014 MacBook Air with a 2304×1440 resolution. It’s not clear if the new model will replace Apple’s current 11- and 13-inch offerings, or if it will become a “premium” option in addition to the existing MacBook Air lineup.
As for the iMac, Mr. Kuo claims that sales of the new models, including the original redesign in late 2012 and the Haswell refresh last month, have failed to meet Apple’s expectations, especially in foreign markets like China. Under the assumption that the price for the product was simply too high, Mr. Kuo believes that Apple will work to introduce a “budget” model that can better compete with cheaper products from rivals such as Lenovo and HP.
Apple currently offers 11- and 13-inch MacBook Airs with stock prices ranging from $999 to $1,299 and 21.5- and 27-inch iMacs costing $1,299 to $1,999 with standard configurations. Apple’s current “Retina” MacBooks start at $1,499 for the 13-inch model and $2,199 for the 15-inch model.
