This post was written by Mary Joseff

A recent report by an investment banker, FBR Capital Markets, said that a peek at the Apple supply chain reveals that the consumer electronics maker is on track to build this year more than 15 million 3G iPhones, plus 2 million older models. On the iPod front, FBR Capital Markets has revised its third quarter build volumes up by 15%, saying they are now set to grow 35% from the second quarter. The greater number of iPod Classics and Nanos built are expected to be partially offset by fewer Touch builds. FBR has also raised its forecast for Mac notebooks and desktops.
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This post was written by Melissa Chang

Apple’s Macs have continued to gain share in the premium personal computer market, according to NPD Group, a research firm that specializes in tracking retail shares. According to a new report, Macs accounted for 66% of all PCs priced at $1,000 or more sold at retail in the U.S. during the first three months of this year.

In the first quarter of 2008, Apple held 13.8% of the overall U.S. retail computer market, up from 9.5% during the same period a year before, an increase of 45%.

But there is one important factor to keep in mind, according to Stephen Baker, an analyst with NPD Group:

“Yes, they dominate in the $1,000-plus market, but they also tend to be the only company that has a considerable focus in that price range.”

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Photo by jocke66