Apple expected to unveil new iPods

A new iPod music player is expected to be release at a media event nest Tuesday. But they may not push through with the launching of the much-awaited MacBook laptop computers.

An invitation was sent out to reporters inviting them to a Sept.9 event entitled “Let’s Rock”, with an image of a man jumping in the air while listening to an iPod, with words “playing soon”. The invitation sent by Apple, which also makes iPhone mobile devices.

No additional details were released from the company that often sends provocative invitations to product launches. Creating a mystery around its brand has helped Apple’s market above Google, even though there are fears about the slowdown of US economy, which is slowing consumer purchases.

"It's got to be new iPods. That's 100 percent certain," Needham & Co analyst Charles Wolf said. "The only question I cannot answer is whether they will also do new MacBooks."

On Tuesday, Apple shares fell $3.34 or 2 percent, to $166.19.

Apple shares go down

Andrew Hargreaves, a Pacific Crest Securities analyst said that stock fall was due to bearish broad sentiment rather than disappointment due to the invitation.

"I'm not expecting anything revolutionary," he said.

American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu said that a refreshing new line of Apple’s iPod is need and the price cut on its iPod Touch models because they have a higher start-up price that the iPhone.

The Internet-ready iPod touch starts at $299 in the United States, compared with $199 for the iPhone.

"Pricing needs to be adjusted downward toward market conditions. We are in a tougher economy. That's what makes most sense," Wu said.

Both Wolf and Hargreaves expect new MacBooks to be announced in the coming weeks.

In July, Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs said in a statement the company was working on several new products to launch in the coming months, but executives declined to give detail

Analysts said they still expect Cupertino, California-based Apple to refresh its MacBook notebook PCs soon.