Apple may launch $799 MacBook Air this year, claims report
We could see a $799 MacBook Air as early as the third quarter, according to the folks at DigiTimes.Citing the usual "sources from the upstream supply chain," the site says that a more aggressively priced MacBook Air could crimp rival ultrabooks, especially if Intel is unable to bring their average selling price down to its goal of $699. A $799 offering from Apple may also keep competing machines from becoming more standardized.Intel has been on a quest to push ultrabooks as the latest and greatest technology. Last year the chipmaker created a $300 fund to aid hardware and software companies aiming to enhance the lightweight laptops. The company has also spent $100 million to invest in ultrabook software developers.Related storiesApple's MacBook Air to dominate ultrabook market, says analystApple may unveil new MacBook hybrid this year, says analystDon't expect ultrabooks to transform the PC market, says analystIntel sees ultrabook prices dropping to $699 this yearRegardless of Apple's strategy, ultrabooks may not truly take off until the launch of Windows 8 later this year, say DigiTimes' sources. However, the latest sales figures from Dell are painting a brighter picture.The PC maker recently revealed that its $999 XPS 13 ultrabook is selling way beyond expectations, providing some signs that the market as a whole may be poised to take off.Apple is currently pricing its 11-inch MacBook Air with 64GB of flash storage at $999 and its 128GB version at $1,199. The 13-inch 128GB edition sells for $1,299, while the 256GB moidel is $1,599. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently projected that Apple could even introduce a hybrid laptop in the third quarter, one with the power of the MacBook Pro but the portability of the MacBook Air.
