Will an updated series of Macs appear shortly? Wedge Partners, a Denver-based research firm, thinks there's a good chance that Apple will unveil redesigned iMacs and MacBooks "in the next several weeks."
According to a report by Barron's Eric Savitz, the new Macs may include a thinner iMac with "smoothed or rounded edges," and an updated MacBook with "limited" (i.e., minor) changes.
When contacted by PC World, Wedge Partners director of research Kirk Adams confirmed the Barrons' report, and added that the fall Mac rollout probably wouldn't include revolutionary new hardware like the much-hyped tablet, or even a new netbook computer, both of which would be a first for Apple.
"We don't expect a tablet or a netbook per se, but rather some redesigns of some good products," Adams says.
If Wedge's prediction comes true, the Mac upgrades would certainly be seem as an attempt by Apple to steal thunder from Microsoft's upcoming Windows 7 media blitz. The official Win 7 launch date is Oct. 22, and Microsoft's new operating system is expected to spur sales of both business and consumer PCs.
Last June, Apple unveiled a new batch of MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops.
What do you think? Should Apple launch a counteroffensive to Windows 7, or wait until the hype dies down before trotting out its latest wares?
Contact Jeff Bertolucci via Twitter (@jbertolucci) or at jbertolucci.blogspot.com.
