Apple Computer has said it will unveil a new "innovative,
revolutionary and different" device, fuelling speculation that the
company will introduce flat panel iMacs.
Apple announced that chief executive Steve Jobs would unveil a new
consumer product during the Macworld Expo conference and exhibition
in San Francisco on 7 January 2002.
Apple said the "powerful, user-friendly and eye-catching" product
will be launched worldwide and is expected to have an "enormous
impact".
"We have already been too open, judging by the interest this is
generating," said Ton van Garderen, general manager for Apple in
the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Analysts said that Apple placed a large order for 15-in flat-panel
Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) for its all-in-one PC. Taiwanese
laptop manufacturer Quanta Computer claimed to have won a contract
to manufacture the new iMac.
Earlier this year Apple said it would only ship its computers with
LCDs, but didn't specify the iMac at that time. The iMac has not
had a major makeover since its launch in 1998.
Van Garderen would not confirm the flat-panel order and declined to
say whether Apple feels the iMac is ready for a new look.
Sales of the iMac have been declining, bringing calls for a
refreshed product. In its fourth quarter, ended 29 September, Apple
said it shipped 294,000 units, slightly down from 306,000 in the
third quarter and a significant drop from 571,000 in Apple's last
quarter of 2000.