Piper – Apple Likely to Launch $899 MacBook

Well-known Piper Jaffray analyst, Gene Munster, told clients he believed Apple's big announcement would concern a revamp of the company's entry-level MacBook line. Aware of Apple's upcoming Town Hall event, the unveilings are likely to include MacBooks starting at $899 or $999, Munster says.

Munster remains confident in Apple's position in the portable market, as he and his fellow analysts “expect the new MacBooks to be cheaper. However, it is likely that the new MacBooks will be a more premium product (with new aluminum casing and gesture-based touchpad)," he wrote in his note to clients. "In other words, we expect the new MacBooks to be a meaningful upgrade with an average selling price 9 percent to 18 percent lower [than today's models]," Munster explained, according to an AppleInsider post.

Still, Apple will have to appeal the Pro-fessional market as well, Munster asserts, with a complete redesign of its 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros. These are expected to carry an entry-level price tag of $1,899, the analyst told his clients. New features, like a thinner design and a more sophisticated gesture-based trackpad, will help move the pricey units, Piper Jaffray's analyst reveals.

And, while some expect Apple's “one-more-thing” to be a touch-screen portable Mac, a MacBook touch if you will, Munster has little hopes for that, and believes such an announcement deserves its own event. "While we are confident that Apple will eventually bring its touchscreen technology from the iPhone to the Mac, we do not expect to see a touchscreen Mac this year," he says. What Munster does expect in extra is an upgraded MacBook Air. If you ask us, a downgrade in price would be far more appreciated.

Despite Apple's recent downfall, Munster maintains his buy rating on the company's stock, along with a $250 price target on the shares. His reasons for this obviously include next-week's event.