Apple prepping ultra-cheap laptops?

Steve Jobs has already hinted at a slew of new Apple products before the end of the year, but now analysts say one of those mysterious bits of kit will be an ultra-cheap laptop.

Investment bank Piper Jaffray says Apple’s got new iPods, and a notebook that’ll cost less than $1,000. That’s around the £500 mark, and could even be cheaper.

It’d put Apple in direct competition with ultra-portable mini laptops like the Asus Eee PC, Acer Aspire One and MSI Wind.

However, unlike rival ultra-portables, Piper Jaffray says Apple’s new model will retain a 13 inch screen - the same as current MacBook and MacBook Air models.

It all sounds too good to be true, but analyst Gene Munster says: “We believe there is an 80% chance Apple will introduce redesigned MacBooks and possibly new MacBook Pros at lower price points.

“Specifically, Apple may re-enter the $999 price point (currently $1099) with the MacBook, or test the $1,799 price point with the MacBook Pro (currently $1999).”

On the iPod side of Apple’s business, Munster believes Apple will introduce cheaper touch-based MP3 players, as well as “slightly redesigned” iPods.

TBC | £TBC | Apple (via AppleInsider)

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