Apple is expected to unveil new iPod music players — and possibly price cuts — at a media event next Tuesday but may not offer a long-awaited update to its MacBook laptops until a later moment.

Apple, which additionally makes the iPhone mobile devices, e-mailed reporters an invitation to a Sept. 9 event titled “Let’s Rock” that has an image of a man jumping in the air while listening to an iPod with the words “playing soon.”

No further details were available from the company, which often sends provocative invitations to events that end up being product launches. Creating an allure around its make has only helped drive Apple’s market capitalization above Google’s, despite fears about the weak U.S. economy, which is slowing consumer purchases.

“It’s got to be new iPods. That’s 100 percent assured,” a Needham & Co analyst, Charles Wolf, said. “The only question I cannot reply is whether they will plus do new MacBooks.”

Apple shares

fell $3.34, or 2 percent, Tuesday to $166.19.

Andrew Hargreaves, an analyst at Pacific Crest Securities, said the stock’s fall was probably due to broad bearish sentiment rather than any disappointment related to the invitation. He said he expected any changes to the iPod to be incremental, however.

“I’m not expecting anything revolutionary,” he said.

Apple’s iPod line needs to be refreshed, and the price of its iPod Touch models needs to be cut considering they have a higher starting price than its iPhone, which includes a mobile phone and other features not included in the device, said Shaw Wu, an analyst at American Technology Research.

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,” Wu said. “We are in a tougher economy. That’s what makes most sense.”

Analysts said they still expect Apple,…

Orginal post by Mike

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