Rumor: Apple to Launch $800 MacBook Air Later this Year

Apple's products have long been known for their high price tags. The company's MacBook Air line is priced significantly cheaper than its full-fledged notebook line (the MacBook Pro) and it starts at an already pricey $1000. It can run up to as much as $1700 if you go for the top of the line model. However, rumor has it Apple could be considering a cheaper MacBook Air that would see the base model fall to $800.

According to a report from Digitimes' sources, Apple is hoping to better compete with the Windows 8 ultrabooks launching later this year and is willing to offer a cheaper MBA in order to do it. While early ultrabooks were closer to the $1000 mark, prices are steadily coming down. These days, it's not difficult to snag an ultrabook for under $800.

The cheaper MBA is apparently going to be released in the third quarter of this year, but it's not yet clear if Apple plans to launch a whole new budget MacBook Air, or if this rumored $800 model will actually be the $1000 with a $200 price cut. The company doesn't exactly price new merchandise to sell but it's no stranger to dropping prices on older products.

CES this past January was ultrabook central and we're expecting to see another slew of super-slim extra light laptops at Computex in June. With AMD's Trinity APU launching this month, the ultrabook market is heating up fast. Will a $200 price cut from Apple be enough for Cupertino to stay competitive.

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