MacIntel: what's next ?

Apple kickstarted its Intel transition 8 months ago with the iMac. This transition was successfully achieved two weeks ago with the MacPro. Meanwhile, Intel hasn't stopped announcing ever newer CPUs, and Apple has no choice but follow this crazy pace. Let us try to guess what is to come (an easier task now than during the PPC era):
- The MacBook Pro should be the first to be revamped. As a high-end laptop, it has to switch to Merom. If Apple is to keep its habits, there should be an high-end 15" and a 17" both shipping with a 2.33GHz CPU, and a cheaper 15" equipped with a 2.16GHz Merom.
Forecasts are harder to make with the other products. While there was no other choice a the time than using the "Core" technology for all, Apple can now mark the difference between Merom/Xeon high end machines and Yonah lower end ones.
- And it's probably what they'll do with the Mac mini and the MacBook. The former's outdated Core Solo will be replaced with a Core Duo (and probably one with a higher frequency for the high-end). As Intel Yonah's price is to decrease significantly, so might that of Apple computers. While the margin on a MacBook is a tiny one, there might be enough room to play with the Mac mini's. A Macmini under $500 would be a hit. And while we're at it, a $999 MacBook would strike even harder...
- What we can hardly guess is the iMac's destiny. Many possibilities can be considered indeed. It could remain Yonah-powered, and see a further decease of its price, or it could switch to Core2Duo. Then there would the choice between Conroe and Merom. The former is faster and much cheaper, but as a CPU aimed at the desktop market it dissipates far more heat. Provided that the cooling issue is solved without the iMac being turned into a buzzing fan, the Merom would conciliate high speed with an interesting pricing.
In the PPC era, Apple used to be faced with stagnation. Now they will have to make clever choices in a sea of novelties...