Macworld rumours slim-line laptop

As the annual Consumer Electronics Show winds down to lacklustre reviews, Apple is expected to grab the spotlight with an ultra-slim laptop computer and online movie rentals next week at its biggest annual show -- Macworld.

The new products are seen more as enhancements to Apple's current offerings, rather than ones that pack the 'wow factor' of last year's star attraction, the iPhone.

Macworld is the favourite venue of Apple chief executive Steve Jobs to roll out new products and chart the company's course for the year.

Analysts expect a computer half as thick as Apple's current MacBook line up, but using flash memory chips like those found in its iPod music players rather than a hard drive.

Charles Golvin, an analyst with market research firm Forrester, said: "The energy seems to be around a smaller-form-factor laptop computer."

Laptops have been one of Apple's strongest segments. In its fourth fiscal quarter ended last September, the company sold 1.34 million MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops, up 37 per cent from a year earlier.

Golvin said: "What I'm guessing we might see from Apple is something a little more recognisable as a MacBook device, as a derivative of a laptop or tablet rather than a cool new form factor that sits between laptop and mobile phone."

Many also think Jobs will announce that customers will be able to rent downloaded movies from Fox, Warner Bros and others though its iTunes online store.

Anticipation that Jobs will wow everyone with groundbreaking new products tends to drive Apple shares higher in the days ahead of Macworld.

The shares rose eight per cent the day Jobs unveiled the iPhone at last year's Macworld and have risen more than 90 per cent over the past year on bullishness over sales of iPhones and Macintosh computers, which have been gobbling up market share.