Apple may offer new laptops at Macworld, analysts say

Reuters - For the Mac faithful, this time of year is a special one: the always lively annual Macworld conference that Apple Computer Inc. and co-founder Steve Jobs host in San Francisco gets under way.

Rumors and speculation began swirling on Apple-related Web sites in the weeks leading up to the event and Jobs' keynote, which will be delivered tomorrow.

This time around, analysts put their money on a revamped line of notebook PCs that they say is sorely needed, more deals with media companies for a larger mix of content on the recently announced video iPod and possibly, but less likely, a new flash-memory-based iPod.

"Apple's laptop line desperately needs to be refreshed," said Tim Bajarin, an analyst at Creative Strategies. "In that context, I wouldn't be surprised to see a strong updated line of laptops."

Apple, which has seen a revival with its market-leading iPod digital music player, is in the midst of shifting to microprocessors from Intel Corp. and away from the PowerPC chip it has used for years. Apple has said it will start selling Intel-based computers by the middle of this year.

But many analysts have said for months that they expect an earlier introduction of some Macintosh models, particularly ones using the older G4 processor.

"We think the iBook, PowerBook, Mac Mini and potentially Xserve are areas that are going to move to Intel first," said Shaw Wu, an analyst at American Technology Research Inc.

A new hard disk drive-based iPod (the more recently introduced Nano and Shuffle instead use flash-memory chips to store songs) is less likely, analysts said. Apple in October rolled out the video iPod and announced a deal with Walt Disney Co. to sell hit shows such as Desperate Housewives and Lost for download on its iTunes music store.

Apple followed up with a deal to sell some content from television network NBC Universal, which is owned by General Electric Co. Analysts expect more of the same at Macworld, following the announcement of a raft of content deals at the 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show, which wound down yesterday.

"I expect new content relationship announcements," said Roger Kay, president of technology consultancy Endpoint Technology Associates.

At CES, which is the largest U.S. technology show, content took center stage for the first time. Jobs will more than likely follow up with more deals to make more video content available for sale on iTunes.

Apple has had a minimal presence at CES; Jobs prefers to unveil Apple's latest products -- famously tightly kept secrets-- at the Macworld convention in San Francisco.

And, of course, expect a surprise from Jobs. For years now, he has concluded his keynote only to say, "Oh, and one more thing ...."

Said analyst Bajarin, a longtime Silicon Valley watcher, "He also has something else up his sleeve that none of us have a clue about."

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