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Most of the hubbub out of Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) the past few days has focused on the company's refreshing of its desktop Mac line of personal computers.
However, fans of Apple notebooks also got some good news -- the company injected the 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro with faster processing speed, more memory and longer battery life.
Previous iterations of the 15-inch MacBook Pro were equipped with a 2.53 gigahertz Core 2 Duo processor with an optional bump to 2.8 gigahertz.
On Tuesday, Apple announced a new offering for the 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro -- a processor that runs at 2.66 gigahertz with an option to go up to 2.93 gigahertz.
Apple also announced a boost in storage for both MacBook Pro models -- a solid state drive that comes with 256 gigabytes of space -- as well as a surge in battery life for the 17-inch MacBook Pro, pushing it up to eight hours.
Apple Refreshes the Desktop
The Apple blogs were rampant with rumors that Apple would unveil its new desktop computer models at an event on March 24, but it looks as though the company had no intention of waiting that long to make an announcement.
On Tuesday, Apple revealed four new iMac models, two new Mac mini models and a new Mac Pro model.
The new iMac machines, which come with a variety of display, processing power and memory options, range in price from US$1,199 to $2,199. The same is true of the new Mac mini machines, which are offered with two pricing options: $599 and $799.
The new Mac Pro starts at $2,499 and features the latest graphics technology and an updated interior that makes expansion easier. At $2,499, the Mac Pro is $300 cheaper than its previous iteration.
Refresh Was Expected
Apple's announcements were greeted with little surprise on Tuesday.
"I don't think this is a big deal," said Brian Marshall, an equity analyst with Broadpoint AmTech. "We expected this to happen at Macworld."
The majority of Mac sales 
today aren't in the desktop segment, Marshall noted -- they're in the notebook segment.
"It's nice to see the consumers are getting higher performance products at equal or lower price points," he told MacNewsWorld. "I think, over time, hardware is deflationary in nature, so we'll see those prices come down."
The refresh announcements of the desktop and notebook computer lines come at a time when consumer demand for such products is expected to undergo its biggest plunge in the long history of the personal computer industry.
Massive Drop in PC Demand - That Means You Too, Apple!
The worldwide PC market will decline by almost 12 percent this year from 2008 levels, according to Gartner (NYSE: IT).
The previous worst decline in PC shipments came in 2001 in the wake of the dot-com bust, when unit shipments fell 3.2 percent.
Apple's products come with a high price tag, compared to Windows-powered PCs, at a time when consumers are looking to save a buck or two on their computers.
"I think Apple is more at risk than other companies because they are higher-end," said Gartner analyst George Shiffler. "By the same token, they have a good brand. We'll just have to see how that plays out."
One factor contributing to the expected steep decline in PC demand is the fact that consumers and businesses are keeping their existing PCs longer.
"There is no reason to change out," Shiffler told MacNewsWorld. "You have to do a little TLC here and there by putting in extra memory -- but by doing so, you can extend the life of desktops by five or six years."
The same is not true of the notebook segment, however.
"Mobile computers are much harder to push out their life cycle," Shiffler observed. "I expect them to do a little bit better than the desktops because they are more exposed to wear and tear and usually need to be replaced sooner."
Stock Snapshot
Apple's stock was at $90.23 per share percent in late-day trading on Tuesday, up 3.2 percent compared to its closing price of $87.45 per share on Feb. 24.
"There was some expectation that they wold be refreshing the desktop line, and that was probably helpful," said Tavis McCourt, an equity analyst with Morgan Keegan. "The market wasn't very pretty the last week or so, so if Apple is up, that's pretty good."
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