Analyst: Expect New iPod, Air in September

Credit: f-l-e-x/Flickr

If you’ve wondered why there isn’t a smaller iPod nano or a cheaper MacBook Air notebook, someone at Apple must have read your mind. The Cupertino, Calif. company may unveil those new products in September, according to a prominent analyst.

BMO Capital’s Keith Bachman expects Apple will unveil two new iPods – a new Touch and a new Nano. The Nano will be “much smaller” than previous versions and will omit the track wheel, according to the analyst. The introduction of a small Nano may mean we’ll be waving goodbye to the Shuffle.

Overall, Apple should announce 9.2 million to 9.7 million iPods sold during the September quarter, Bachman said Thursday night. In July, Apple announced selling 9.4 million iPods for the quarter.

As for the MacBook Air, it appears Apple is getting ready to offer a more inexpensive version. “We aren’t clear on all the specs, but supply chain checks suggest that unit shipments of the new Air products could far exceed the current Air, which we believe could suggest lower starting prices,” Bachman writes.

Overall, the analyst projects Apple will sell 2.9 million notebooks in the September quarter.

In other matters, Bachman said there is no evidence the iPad is cannibalizing iPod touch sales. He also believes there is no slowdown in iPhone sales or supply, projecting 10.4 million handsets for the September quarter.

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Ed Sutherland is a veteran technology journalist who first heard of Apple when they grew on trees, Yahoo was run out of a Stanford dorm and Google was an unknown upstart. Since then, Sutherland has covered the whole technology landscape, concentrating on tracking the trends and figuring out the finances of large (and small) technology companies.

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king
Is there really a market for macbook air between macbook and ipads?
How many people out there need a thin computer that is light to carry around for quick access but will do more than the ipad, yet not as powerful as the macbook?
My suggestion, make the macbook pro’s thinner and just kill the Air, the ipad is here.
Even if the market did exist, how big is it?
Adrienne
No track wheel on the Nano? I like the track wheel. I have an iPod Touch, but I still use my 2nd Gen Nano in my car, because I can change songs easily with the track wheel. I love touch products, but as I only have an audio in port, not a USB in my 07 Camry, I need something tactile to navigate with while my eyes are on the road.
JR
The MacBook Air just needs more processing power, larger hard drive and a cheaper price and it should sell well. The iPad isn’t quite a replacement yet. Can’t wait for FaceTime on the new iPod touch though… that could really launch the platform to new heights.
brnmbrns
Adrienne, my guess is there will be a small trackpad like area on the nano that allows for more flexible gestures/movements.
The click-wheel is terrible and I’m surprised it has made it this far.
Marky Mark
My wife would love an Air and the only thing that puts her off currently is the price. This sounds like good news. If it’s more on a par with the lower cost end of the range, they’ll have a customer here for sure. That’s Christmas taken care of.
Kate
I don’t find this to be news; Apple always announces new iPods in September. Some analyst….
Tony
“The introduction of a small Nano may mean we’ll be waving goodbye to the Shuffle.”
Yeah, and Apple will be stop making the Mac Mini – LOL!!!
Michael
will the “analysts” predict a new iPhone in June?
LOL a smaller nano, the nano shuffle!
charli
okay i’m sorry but analysts saying they have sources that tell them we’ll have a new ipod anything in the fall don’t score any points with me. Cause that is a total ‘well duh’.
as for the Air, somehow I doubt any thing much will happen with it. Truth is that I think that it is in a holding pattern while they wait for the pricing etc to upgrade the ipad. THAT is going to be the new lightweight for them. It can already do almost everything that the Air was actually good for. The ipad gen 2 with a front facing camera, more ram and perhaps more storage and the Air is pointless.