With so many new Apple news today, the one that caught our eyes were the Apple Netbook rumors. Ezra Gottheil of Technology Business Research said in an interview that Apple would most likely introduce two new Apple netbooks at MacWorld 2009. Gottheil believes this because of several different factors. According to him, because of the slow economy, the rise in sales for inexpensive netbooks, and Steve Job’s comments back in October, Apple has no choice but to release an inexpensive netbook. According to Gottheil,
“I don’t have any inside information,” said Ezra Gottheil of Technology Business Research Inc., as he spelled out his take on Apple’s next hardware move. “This is just by triangulation. They like to have a big surprise at MacWorld,” Gottheil said. “They don’t need to have one, but they like to.”
But there are some issues with Apple releasing a netbook. Since Apple neglected the bottom of the market, Apple made itself vulnerable to the surging rise in sales for netbooks. If Apple were to release a netbook, it would just be a simplified version of their Macbook. Because of this, Gottheil believes that the netbook would be in Apple’s “closed system”. This means it would depend on iTunes, the App Store, and it would limit peripherals and add-on choices. In regards to Apple controlling the netbook, Gottheil said
The App Store will be one of the keys, Gottheil said. “By controlling the software that can be loaded and the hardware that can be attached, Apple’s device will be simpler, easier to use and more reliable than a PC, and will excel at the functions most required by users,” he said. “With the infrastructure and connections Apple already has, it can redefine the netbook category. The issue here is making it dirt-simple for the user,” he said. “Macs have a good deal less hassle than PCs, but they don’t have zero hassle. To some people, they are intrinsically intimidating.”
Now we do not know what to make of what Gottheil had to say, but if the rumors materialize during MacWorld 2009, it would be the hottest electronic device of the year. Then again a iPhone Nano would be even better.
- Geoff
[Source: ComputerWorld]
