New MacBooks Now Shipping; Available Soon

Apple has apparently begun shipping its next-generation of MacBooks, with availability in the coming weeks.

According to “field checks”, analyst Rich Gardner of Citigroup says he has confirmed that the new Macbooks have indeed begun shipping, giving hope to us all that they will be available in the next few weeks. Although Gardner has not a shed of evidence to provide us, this news is in line with the other predictions we have heard, the roadmaps we have seen and it does make some sense overall.

Current predictions have been saying the new MacBooks would be available for around mid-October, although with the new MacBooks now shipping, it may be possible to see them even earlier than that. Not a moment too soon either- the groans and whines of impatient buyers has become all to apparent. Even year-over-year sales growth in August was down compared to that in July, a 43-percent to 23-percent drop. The blame partially falls on a poor economy, but it is also clear that some buyers are simply just waiting for the new Macs.

A lot of the reason Apple has been so late in releasing the new Macs has probably something to do with delays Intel had been facing with its Montevina platform, a key aspect of the upcoming MacBooks. Intel had run into an issue with its integrated graphics that needed tending and also had hit a delay with the 802.11n FCC certification. It was not until early August Intel was even able to start producing the new chipsets in mainstream quantities, an issue that would of also of held back Apple from being able to pump out its new systems. With an apparent sudden surge in Apple’s manufacturing and the first shipments of MacBooks now on their way, it would seem things are finally in gear.

The new MacBooks are apparently a significant upgrade over the older MacBooks, according also to Rich Gardner. The new MacBooks feature a very thin aluminum casing, an LED back-lit display and an aggressive price tag with some analysts sayings as low as possibly $999. For those interested in knowing when we might expect the next-next generation of MacBooks, one could simply look to Intel who plans on releasing the next substantial mobile platform in early 2010.