Analyst predicts subnotebook, video rentals, Blu-ray support to be announced at Macworld
Posted by Dennis Sellers 
Jan 3, 2008 at 3:23pm
American Technology Research Analyst Shaw Wu is predicting a subnotebook, iTunes video rentals and Apple support for Blu-ray to be announced at the upcoming Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco.
Wu thinks the much-rumored subnotebook will use of NAND flash storage to offer longer battery life in an ultra-compact form factor. The name? Possibly the MacBook mini or MacBook slim, he adds (I’m placing my money on MacBook mini).
The analyst also agrees with the speculation that Apple will announce iTunes video rentals. “Whether these movies expire based on time and/or usage is unclear to us, but we do believe that rentals are a significant change in its philosophy with its current iTunes download business model,” Wu wrote in a note to clients. “”The positive implication from this is that Apple enhances its video experience and makes it more compelling to move and/or stick with the iTunes + iPod + Mac + iPhone + Apple TV ecosystem.”
Also, Wu thinks that Apple will officially come down on the side of Blu-ray in the Blu-ray verses HD DVD wars. He thinks at least some future Macs will support Blu-ray.
“We believe this is a key announcement as current Macs ship with the DVD format and Sony gains a strong ally in Blu-ray,” Wu wrote. He added that Disney is a firm supporter of Blu-ray, and Apple CEO Steve Jobs is on Disney’s board of directors. (Microsoft is promoting HD-DVD.)
However, Wu is hedging his bets by adding that the company could go with a hybrid system that plays movie and data discs of both types. Apple is a member of the Blu-ray consortium.
Finally, the analyst is predicting that Apple will roll out an external HDD storage/dock/streaming device that can work with MacBook mini as well as the Airport Extreme.
The “Macsimum MWSF 2007 Coupon Book” is available for download. You can find it here and print it as a PDF. It has discounts, special offers and promotions in conjunction with the upcoming Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco.
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Dennis Sellers
Dennis has been a newspaper editor/reporter (seven years) and teacher (seven years). He has over 4,000 magazine, newspaper and online articles to his credit. He has also covered the Mac and tech industries for over a decade for such online publications as MacCentral, MacMinute and now MacsimumNews.
