By Katie Marsal
Published: 01:00 PM EST
In a just-aired broadcast on CNBC, the network's Jim Goldman reported that a source close to Apple's manufacturing facilities has confirmed that the company will launch its much rumored sub-notebook at Macworld in January and that it will also have a 3G iPhone on store shelves by June at the latest.
Goldman's report on the new sub-notebook, which cited unnamed sources who have supposedly seen the product, mentioned several details
first reported by
AppleInsider over the past 12 months.
Among them are reports that the device will be
50 percent thinner than the company's existing MacBook Pro,
employ NAND flash memory in place of a traditional hard disk drive, and that it will definitively
arrive at Macworld.
Although Goldman did not specifically make mention of a manufacturing ramp, captions on
CNBC accompanying his commentary suggested that production of the notebook had already begun. In addition, he did contribute one piece of new information, namely that the device is expected to be priced aggressively at approximately $1500.
(It should be noted that Goldman referred to the device as sporting a 12-inch screen, but AppleInsider maintains that it will include a 13.3-inch display).
In his report, Goldman also added that Apple's iPod Touch is selling "far better than expected" during the current holiday shopping season, compelling one of the company's Asian manufacturing partners to increase production of the touch-screen-based media player to 5.1 million units for the current quarter.
Finally, Goldman said that while industry watchers have been expecting Apple to introduce a 3G capable iPhone
by late 2008, his sources are suggesting that the device will be on store shelves by late May or early June at the latest.
A summary of Goldman's data points follows:
- New 3G iPhone by late May, early June 2008.
- iPod Touch is selling better than expected this holiday season, with one of Apple's manufacturers increasing production to about 5.1 million units this quarter.
- New sub-notebook MacBook Pro.
- New sub-notebook 50 percent thinner.
- New sub-notebook employs flash memory instead of hard drive.
- New sub-notebook to retail for $1500.
Apple declined
CNBC's request for comment on the rumors.
A capture of the broadcast is available
here.
