Japan Watch: Revved iBook a Big Hit


Apple's refreshed 800MHz iBook is #4 in notebook sales in Japan. The 12.1" model is the most popular, with other iBooks not making the top 20 Previously, the 14.1" high-end iBook and the CDRW iBook have been very popular.

Interestingly, the base 700MHz iBook, which now retails for $999 in the US, is nowhere to be seen among the 20 most popular models.

Shoring up Apple's position in Japan is the least expensive Power Mac, the DP 867MHz model, coming in at #10 on the desktop chart.

The SuperDrive iMac 800 is also performing well, at #15 on their desktop chart, although it is unclear whether this is the 15" or 17" model.

Filling out the top 20 is the Combo drive eMac, one of Apple's cheapest models. Given the relatively modest eMac sales reported in Apple's most recently quarterly statement, it would appear that Japan is accounting for a fair chunk of them.

Analysis: You might expect to see the base PowerBook G4/867 on the list, particularly as it doesn't cost that much more than a 14.1" iBook. It also represents very good value. But there is a plethora of inexpensive PC notebooks available in Japan in every size and permutation and, after all, the PowerBook is still a relatively pricey, premium product. It would also be interesting to note how many of the revved PowerBook G4s are now on store shelves in Japan.

[Updated @ 12:20 EST]