Ming-Chi Kuo: MacBook Air Coming Soon in 2Q 2018 with a Cheaper Price

Apple is planning to launch its popular in the second quarter, 2018, according the latest research from Ming-Chi Kuo, who is the famous analyst from KGI Securities and our old friend. The point is, based on what he wrote, the new MacBook Air is cheaper than the old one, the rumored 6.1-inch LCD iPhone, AirPods, and a “more affordable MacBook Air.”

The first two in that list have been widely discussed in recent weeks and months, but this is the first we’ve heard about an update to the MacBook Air. Moreover, you might not be new with Ming-Chi Kuo, who is known for his accurate predictions around Apple products for and we have written his prediction so many times. In the past time, Kuo has make a lot of times of predictions that are pretty closer to the final results when Apple launched products, so in this time, we have a great possibility to believe Apple is going to launch new MacBook Air with an affordable price just in the way Kuo predicts.

“We expect Apple (US) to roll out the new MacBook Air with a lower price tag in 2Q18. We forecast total shipments of MacBook models will grow 10-15% YoY in 2018 (vs. 0-5% YoY decline for the NB industry), up from 15.5-16mn units in 2017. While Quanta, Radiant, Catcher, and SZS are likely to benefit from strong shipments momentum, SZS also stands to benefit from increased market share and a higher ASP.”

KGI is very optimistic about the future of the Apple MacBook. Kuo claims Apple is about to launch MacBook Air in the second quarter of this year “with a lower price tag”, which could mean an announcement at WWDC in June, and we’ll likely hear more rumors as the time gets closer. And he also mentions that MacBook’s total shipments in 2018 will grow 10-15%, while notebook sales will fall 0-5%. In other words, Apple’s notebook business is likely to grow against the backdrop of a bad situation in the big industry.

MacBook Air, which was the industry benchmark, has now become a copycat for rivals in the industry, but it has not been updated for three years without any real updates, except for core hardware upgrades such as processors, and is still an old non-retinal display of 1440×900. Apple currently sells the MacBook Air for $999.