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Source: ThinkSecret.com
Apple will soon announce new iBook models with speeds up to 900MHz, but will not break the 1GHz barrier.
Think Secret has confirmed specifications on the three new models through various highly reliable sources as well as company documents. The new models will not have any new features or increases in memory or hard drive size, making them simply 'speed bump' changes. The low-end model will be boosted from 700MHz to 800MHz and the mid-range and high-end models will go from 800MHz to 900MHz.
Although an exact release date of the new models is not known, it is expected an announcement will be made sometime in the next two weeks. Sources have confirmed the new models are in full production in Asia and are now in transit to the United States.
Prices for the three models will stay at existing MSRPs, but it is thought that Apple could also lower prices slightly to spur interest at the last minute if they so desire.
Disappointing for some, the iBook line will not be breaking the 1GHz barrier with these speed bumps. One possible reason for this are clear indications that Apple is finding customer confusion in a number of areas when they compare iBooks to PowerBook G4 units. Over the past few weeks, Apple Store employees have shared with Think Secret store intelligence proving that while the 12-inch PowerBook G4 is popular, price-conscious customers are comparing it to the iBook models and "buying down", despite the clear difference in speed between the G3 and G4 processors. Store employees say internal e-mail chatter over the past four months is showing sales staffers believe a boost to 1GHz on the iBooks would further confuse the issue for consumers, making them think the difference in speed in not as great, as well as other features. As one Apple retail store employee put it, "(Apple CEO) Steve Jobs doesn't have to deal with the 'megahertz myth', but we have to every day."
Availability of existing models is still good as sales have somewhat dropped off according to distributor sources who monitor numbers daily. Apple inside sales representatives have been actively trying to sell remaining stock of these models, offering incentives for dealers to buy ranging from free shipping to quantity discounts. Independent dealers don't seem to be biting at the opportunity. While dealers didn't know until this report what the exact specs of the new iBook models were, some told Think Secret it was very obvious in the past few weeks that the push by Apple to get rid of existing models was a clear sign new configurations were on the way.
Apple will soon announce new iBook models with speeds up to 900MHz, but will not break the 1GHz barrier.
Think Secret has confirmed specifications on the three new models through various highly reliable sources as well as company documents. The new models will not have any new features or increases in memory or hard drive size, making them simply 'speed bump' changes. The low-end model will be boosted from 700MHz to 800MHz and the mid-range and high-end models will go from 800MHz to 900MHz.
Although an exact release date of the new models is not known, it is expected an announcement will be made sometime in the next two weeks. Sources have confirmed the new models are in full production in Asia and are now in transit to the United States.
Prices for the three models will stay at existing MSRPs, but it is thought that Apple could also lower prices slightly to spur interest at the last minute if they so desire.
Disappointing for some, the iBook line will not be breaking the 1GHz barrier with these speed bumps. One possible reason for this are clear indications that Apple is finding customer confusion in a number of areas when they compare iBooks to PowerBook G4 units. Over the past few weeks, Apple Store employees have shared with Think Secret store intelligence proving that while the 12-inch PowerBook G4 is popular, price-conscious customers are comparing it to the iBook models and "buying down", despite the clear difference in speed between the G3 and G4 processors. Store employees say internal e-mail chatter over the past four months is showing sales staffers believe a boost to 1GHz on the iBooks would further confuse the issue for consumers, making them think the difference in speed in not as great, as well as other features. As one Apple retail store employee put it, "(Apple CEO) Steve Jobs doesn't have to deal with the 'megahertz myth', but we have to every day."
Availability of existing models is still good as sales have somewhat dropped off according to distributor sources who monitor numbers daily. Apple inside sales representatives have been actively trying to sell remaining stock of these models, offering incentives for dealers to buy ranging from free shipping to quantity discounts. Independent dealers don't seem to be biting at the opportunity. While dealers didn't know until this report what the exact specs of the new iBook models were, some told Think Secret it was very obvious in the past few weeks that the push by Apple to get rid of existing models was a clear sign new configurations were on the way.
