Apple might slowly phase out its entry level white polycarbonate Macbook this year, according a report by AppleInsider.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of Concord Securities told AppleInsider that industry checks show that Apple's internal shipment forecast for the white Macbook suspiciously drops off in August this year, which leads him to believe that the notebook may go end of life around the same time.

He stated that Apple's $999 MacBook Air is a more than suitable replacement for the identically priced white Macbook. An updated MacBook Air with 128 GB minimum hard drive space is expected to see an introduction as early as Wednesday.

Kuo said that monthly shipments for the Core 2 Duo MacBook have fallen to between 80,000 and 100,000 units, and therefore comprised less than 10 percent of Apple's total Mac shipments during the first half of 2011. While some industry watchers believe that the white notebook could continue to serve as a low-cost, entry-level Mac with a price reduction, it is uncertain that Apple would want the old fashioned design alongside its sleek new Mac OS Lion operating system.

The Intel-powered MacBook was first launched in May of 2006, replacing the PowerPC-based iBook and PowerBook, featuring a 13-inch display. It originally came in both black and white colors.

The notebook was redesigned in 2009, when it was given a unibody construction like the MacBook Pro. The new notebook also had an LED-backlit display, integrated battery and multi-touch glass trackpad.

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