David Flynn05 October 2009, 1:07 AM
The countdown clock is ticking on a redesigned entry-level MacBook, an ‘ultra thin’ iMac and a faster Mac Mini which could drop from $1,049 to $899.
The wheels at the Apple rumour mill continue to turn, but now we’re starting to see harder evidence of how this month’s triple-product revamp will shake out.
A series of Apple store advertisements which have appeared on several of Google’s European sites tip that we’ll see a “thinner, lighter and faster” MacBook, an “ultra thin” iMac in “20 & 24 inch models” plus a Mac Mini described as being “faster and more affordable than ever”.
The iMac is already one swish-looking bit of kit, but it's set to get even better if rumours of a slimmer enclosure
and more flowing organic lines are on the money
The Mac Mini advert on The Netherand’s Google.nl also lists a starting price of €499. The current Mac Mini price listed at Apple.nl is €599, indicating a €100 price cut.
Applying this same metric to Australia, where the Mac Mini starts at $1,049, means the new model could feasibly drop to $879, although we’d not be surprised to see the sticker settle at $899.
The compact Mac Mini sells for $1,049 today, but could get a speed bump and a price cut to $899 in the next few weeks
The jump-the-gun adverts were spotted by
AppleInsider, with readers also finding similar advertisements on Google’s Italian, German and Austrian search sites.
These include the new ‘ultra thin’ iMac being the same price as the current model (€1,099 in Europe), and references to a “new white MacBook” which confirms previous reports that the sole MacBook in the laptop line-up would retain its white plastic finish.
None the less, the new chassis is believed to be thinner and sleeker, sharing some design DNA with the MacBook Pro series as well as features including a non-removable battery (to boost battery life by permitting higher capacity cells) and an SD memory card reader.
Speculation is that the ‘ultra-thin’ iMac may also inherit a more flowing and more ‘organic’ look, perhaps taking some cues from the lines of the MacBook Air.
At least two of the three models cited in the advertisements – the MacBook and Mac Mini – are called out as being ‘faster’, meaning a speed bump in their current Core 2 Duo processor powerplant.