MacBook Air sales deflated

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 13 Feb 2008 at 10:56

Interest in the MacBook Air is running high but demand remains low, according to a new report from analyst firm Piper Jaffray.

"Customers are more curious but less willing to buy the MacBook Air than they were the original MacBook," analyst Gene Munster told his clients in his latest research note.

Munster spoke to 20 Apple resellers to compile his report, and claims that nearly 60% are seeing less demand for the MacBook Air than they did for the 13in MacBooks nearly two years ago.

He attributes this to the steep £1,199 price tag, which he believes is putting off mainstream MacBook consumers and turning the MacBook Air into the first "executive Mac".

The upshot of this, he claims, is that while the Air is not detrimental to the original MacBook's sales, it's also a niche product with a smaller potential market.

He's predicting overall Mac sales will drop by 18% from the Christmas quarter, with the MacBook Air accounting for 16% of all Mac sales by the end of 2008.

Apple refused to comment on the report.

You can read our review of the MacBook Air here.