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New iMacs to shift investor focus back to Apple's Mac story

A pair of new iMacs expected to be released by Apple Inc. on Tuesday should shift investor focus away from the early stages of iPhone sales and back onto the more significant story of the Mac market share growth, according to investment research firm Piper Jaffray.

"We believe Apple will introduce redesigned iMacs at a press event tomorrow," analyst Gene Munster wrote in a research note to clients on Monday morning. "Since early this summer when AppleInsider first issued the story, we have been anticipating an iMac update with a radically new form-factor."

Should the new iMacs arrive as anticipated, Munster believes they could drive upside to his September quarter Mac shipment estimate of 1.9 million systems. He told investors that Apple appears to be on a path of replicating its iPod strategy within its Mac business.

"For the past two years Apple has announced new iPod models in September, ahead of the holiday shopping season; this year Apple is announcing upgraded Macs ahead of the education buying season," the analyst wrote. "And similar to the successful holiday quarters in 2005 and 2006, we expect Mac sales in the 2007 education season to be strong."

Munster also told clients that believes the new iMacs will shift investor focus away from the early stages of iPhone sales and back onto the more significant story of Mac market share growth. He noted that during the last calendar quarter, Apple's worldwide Mac market share rose to a historical high of 3.0 percent, up from 2.6 percent in March and 2.5 percent in December.

In his note to clients, the Piper Jaffray analyst said he does not have any hard evidence of other products Apple may introduce at its event on Tuesday. However, some "unlikely" possibilities could include a new version of the company's iLife digital media suite, new monitors with built-in iSight cameras, or upgraded MacBooks.

"A 13-inch MacBook Pro model featuring an ultra-portable, lightweight enclosure is also a possibility," he wrote.

Munster maintains an Outperform rating and $211 price target on shares of the Cupertino-based Mac maker.

46 Comments

icibaqu 19 Years · 251 comments

first

curious to know what they'll look like so i can enter covet mode

canadiandude 19 Years · 38 comments

I've been holding out on buying a new iMac for quite a while now and even if they are substantially improved, I will still wait until Leopard is released before pulling out my credit card.

Isn't it tomorrow yet?

bdj21ya 19 Years · 295 comments

Quote:
Originally Posted by icibaqu

first

curious to know what they'll look like so i can enter covet mode


Ah covet mode. What's the command line for that again? I think I'd like to enter covet mode tomorrow too.

strawberry 22 Years · 177 comments

I smell another expensive consumer item to add to Santa's list...

mgkwho 19 Years · 165 comments

Wow, Munster admits that he bases analysis off of a rumor site. Goes to show you he has no idea what he's talking about and how powerful AI and MacRumors and the like are.

I don't know if I would personally base my financial decisions through Munster's reading-of-this-site, but then again it is AppleInsider. I guess that means I really should spend my money based on rumors!!

-=|Mgkwho