Like all Apple products, its MacBook range too doesn't come cheap.
Even the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Air model's price starts from $899 in the US, and roughly Rs 58,000 in India. But we might get to see a cheaper variant of the MacBook Air very soon, according to a new report.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo — a man dubbed as the best Apple analyst in the world -- has claimed that Apple is preparing a MacBook Air "with a lower price tag" that could be launched in the second quarter of 2018, 9to5Mac reported.
Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a very solid track record when it comes to Apple leaks and rumors, has previously predicted that Apple might launch a larger 6.1-inch iPhone, along with two other iPhone models this year. He now returns to claim that Apple is planning a cheaper MacBook Air, a move he believes could help Apple push MacBook shipments up by 10-15 percent this year.
The MacBook Air hasn't seen a major change, both in terms of design and price, since Apple did away with the 11-inch MacBook Air in 2016 and shifted its focus toward the 12-inch MacBook and MacBook Pro. But, despite that, the MacBook Air continues to remain a popular choice, especially with students and academia.
The cheaper price tag, meanwhile, doesn't mean that Apple will redesign the upcoming MacBook Air, considering that Apple gave the range a modest spec bump in 2017, albeit still utilizing the older processor. However, it may now have reasons to upgrade to a newer processor on the upcoming MacBook following the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities.
Meanwhile, if Apple launches a new MacBook Air in the lower spectrum, it should help Apple increase its laptop sales. Apple has already overtaken Asus in global laptop shipments, moving from fifth to fourth position. According to a TrendForce report, the company shipped 4.43 million MacBooks in the third quarter of 2017.
That said, details on the new MacBook Air are still very vague, but the latest report from KGI confirms to an earlier report from Digitimes.
The investor notes also offer some additional details on the supply chain reactions of the upcoming iPhones, the growing success of Apple AirPods and more.
Meanwhile, Kuo predicts that Apple will have a strong year in terms of iPhone shipments and sales owing to the entry-level 6.1 inch iPhone that could be launched later this year. Kuo also notes that demand for Apple HomePod smart speaker has been "mediocre" thus far.
