Apple's iBook will shake up notebook design

Apple's new consumer notebook, the iBook, will be influential to the future of portable PC designs, according to industry analysts.

IDC mobile computing analyst Randy Guisto said the iBook, launched last week at Apple's annual conference, Macworld in New York, (see Newswire 21 July) will force other vendors to view things in a "whole new set of colours."

The iBook comes in either tangerine or blueberry - two of the five iMac colours.

Guisto commented: "The iBook will force competitors, primarily notebook engineers and designers, to run back to their drawing boards to increase their presence in both the consumer and education markets."

He added: "The use of colour and sleek design was originally introduced in the US by Sony with its Vaio notebooks, resulting in widespread success and making many top notebook vendors take notice. US notebook vendors have made some slight inroads in design, but in large have many look alike products with no distinguishing features."

He said he expected the machine to encourage consumers to use a notebook instead of a desktop.

"The consumer market to date has not openly embraced portable PCs, but the iBook may grab their attention and in turn increase notebook penetration in this desktop PC oriented marketplace," he added.

Guisto commented: "Apple is riding a wave of success, due to the iMac, and that wave is expected to crest higher with the iBook."

For more coverage of Apple's Macworld conference see news analysis 27 July.

• Tweet  
• Facebook  
•  
•  
• Send to  

• Topics
• Hardware