Analysts call new MacBook Pro, iMac at WWDC

Apple is likely planning one or more updates to its Mac line that will coincide with its upcoming WWDC event in San Francisco, says a new report from PiperJaffray analyst Gene Munster. The researcher expects at least the MacBook Pro to receive an update at the event, pointing to the unusually long wait for a replacement since the Core 2 Duo upgrade released last October.

"On average the pro-level laptops are updated every 182 days," Munster says. "And the current models were launched 209 days ago."

The analyst also established a more cautious prediction for the iMac. The possibility of a "redesigned" iMac also seeing its appearance at the event was also significant, he said, as the all-in-one desktop had both a shorter average interval between new models (168 days) as well as a considerably longer delay (257 days) for its new model. A thinner and restyled iMac has already been hinted as early as March of this year but hadn't received endorsement from secondary sources until today.

What may be absent from WWDC, however, is an iPhone launch. While the scheduled late June release of the Apple phone remains on track, according to Munster, the device may not see a formal announcement at the developer-oriented conference. A secondary release was more likely.

"We expect Apple to host a separate event to launch iPhone," the expert says.

Regardless of when the device ships, demand is expected to be high with "2-4 weeks" between orders and shipments from the Apple.com website alone. The analyst wouldn't predict the volume of sales through Apple retail stores or any of AT&T's online and retail presences.