A new report indicates Apple may be turning its attention back to the MacBook lineup, focusing on the lower-end notebook market.
Exact details remain unknown about the announcements -- and Apple, as expected, is extremely secretive -- but it's possible the low-cost MacBooks will have a thinner, more impressive aluminum shell casing.
It's possible the price tag will finally drop below $999, though how much lower is unknown.
In June, Apple cut prices of its MacBook Pro line across the board, with prices reduces dropped between $300 and $700.
Furthermore, the iMac line also is expected to receive a noticeable refresh, with the price tag dropping as overall product functionality increases. Apple CEO Steve Jobs once described the next-gen Blu-ray format as a "bag of hurt," but the new iMac models are expected to have Blu-ray included.
The MacBook refresh is expected to be announced in the next few weeks, according to unconfirmed reports. If true, the price cut and refresh would be sooner than expected by bloggers and analysts, setting up the company for a strong 2009 holiday shopping season.
Although the economy is still struggling, consumer spending is expected to be higher than in 2008.
Apple is known for cutting prices each fall -- before the school semester starts for high school and college students, and during its annual keynote -- though other price cuts take place depending on current market demand and the state of the economy.
