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Apple to Launch Retina MacBook Air Later This Year, According to Supply Chain Sources

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Apple is gearing up to release new MacBook models in 2014 including a MacBook Air with Retina Display, according to a new report from DigiTimes citing supply chain sources. The story notes that while some Taiwan-based supply chain makers are expecting MacBook shipments in 2014 to fall to 10 million units, others are projecting higher numbers with the belief that Apple's will refresh of its notebook line later this year and release a Retina MacBook Air.

macbook_air_2013_3-800x270.jpg
However, other Taiwan-based supply chain makers hold the opinion that 2014 MacBook shipments estimates may not be accurate because Apple will launch new models in the second half of 2014. Apple will reportedly launch a MacBook Air with Retina display, the makers said.
Click to expand...
Last week, a forum post from a previously accurate source on Weiphone.com claimed that the MacBook Air would be updated soon, with new MacBook Pros to be released in September. Most notably, the report claimed that both will be accompanied by the release of a new slim 12-inch MacBook, which will come without a fan assembly and feature a redesigned trackpad.

It is also possible that the new MacBook Air mentioned in the report and the slim 12-inch MacBook mentioned in the forum post could be the same laptop, which would fall in line with a report from NPD DisplaySearch last year claiming that Apple is planning to introduce a 12-inch MacBook Air in 2014. That report added that the 12-inch MacBook Air would come with an ultra-high resolution 2304 x 1440 display, and was corroborated by the reliable Ming-Chi Kuo.

The post also comments on Apple launching a larger iPad with a near 12-inch screen, however a report earlier this month claims that the project has since been put on hold due to development hurdles and incompatibilities with the existing iOS ecosystem.

Article Link: Apple to Launch Retina MacBook Air Later This Year, According to Supply Chain Sources
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/03/26/retina-macbook-air-supply-chain-sources/
flottenheimer

flottenheimer

macrumors 68000
Jan 8, 2008
1,528
651
Up north
Looking forward to see an updated MacBook Air design.
Looking forward to see anything new from Apple, really. : )
 
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Gav2k

Gav2k

macrumors G3
Jul 24, 2009
9,216
1,608
New trackpad... Basically by my math it would allow for a full sized trackpad like the 13" models.
 
A

alexgowers

macrumors 65816
Jun 3, 2012
1,338
892
The Air is long over due a high res screen, every other apple product is retina and i would actually love for all apple products to drop the retina tag in the product name too.

Macbook Air with retina can become just 'Macbook Air' the year after along with getting rid of the 13 inch macbook pro everything can just be retina. It'll take the sheen off of all those spec bashing companies when apple takes resolution out of the picture.
 
pauliaK

pauliaK

macrumors regular
Jan 16, 2012
142
56
Banff, AB
Battery life, that's the question. I'd hate to it see being worse than what we have now.
 
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keysofanxiety

keysofanxiety

macrumors G3
Nov 23, 2011
9,539
25,302
With the current size of the MBAs, Apple could potentially introduce an edge-to-edge Retina display, which will bolster the 11" and 13" to 12" and 14", respectively. Failing that they'd keep the bezel size and just make the display Retina.

However with the addition of a 13" rMBA, that begs the question of why keep a 13" rMBP. So I'd imagine that they'd either drop the 13" rMBP in favour of the 13" rMBA, or they'd upgrade the rMBP to a Quad-Core processor. That way there will be a clear definition between the power of their consumer and Pro portable products, and Retina will be standardised in all their laptops.

All of the above is speculation, naturally -- very excited to see what Apple will do because I haven't a clue. :)
 
maflynn

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,448
43,369
I wonder what will happen to the 13" MBA and rMBP. At this point there's almost no difference between the two, and if the MBA goes retina then they will be virtually identical.
 
michaelsviews

michaelsviews

macrumors 65816
Sep 25, 2007
1,476
467
New England
Great

Just great, and I just got a new 13" Maxed MBA :eek:
Within a couple of month's is great, 3rd or 4th Qtr hmmmm not sure the old one will work that long

Wonder if there in production or even close to production at this point

More coffee
 
JoeG4

JoeG4

macrumors 68030
Jan 11, 2002
2,841
519
Awww yiss. I'd totally buy one of those!

Only thing is I want the mechanical trackpad button :s
 
M

MacDarcy

macrumors 65816
Jul 21, 2011
1,011
819
End of the year? Okay, so the new iphone is EOY. The rumored iWatch & possibly Apple Television it at EOY.

Um...does Apple plan to release anything in the first half of the year??

That's an awfully long gap for any new products or updates. If they aren't gonna update the MacBook airs or pros, Hopefully they'll update the iMacs & Mac mini this spring at least. Something.
 
L

LunaticSX

macrumors newbie
May 26, 2011
17
2
Retina screen means big battery means a retina 13" MacBook Air would be hardly distinguishable from a Retina 13" MacBook Pro. I'd be more inclined to believe that the rumored 12" MacBook is the supposed "Retina MacBook Air."

Note that the rumored display resolution of 2304x1440 is 4x of 1152x720. That's significantly below both the 1366x768 native resolution of the 11" MacBook Air and the 1440x900 native resolution of the 13" MacBook Air. It's even below the 1280x800 native resolution of the original MacBook Air.

It would make sense for Apple to drop the total number of (4x) pixels in this way so that it can still get by with a relatively smaller battery compared to the Retina 13" MacBook Pro, keeping it slim and light to justify the "Air" moniker.
 
B

barkmonster

macrumors 68020
Dec 3, 2001
2,134
15
Lancashire
What's the point in matching the more powerful graphics needed to drive a retina display with a sub 2Ghz dual core CPU, a pitiful amount of soldered RAM and a tiny SSD?

That would make it the definition of middle class credit card millionaire emailing device.
 
iZac

iZac

macrumors 68030
Apr 28, 2003
2,592
2,774
UK
It annoys me that Apple are increasingly pushing their major updates to the Autumn / Christmas season. I understand it, but it means we have to suffer a dearth of updates for 9 months should our purchasing needs not fall into Apples mandated seasonal glut.

Rant over: I'm looking forward to a potential new MBA in any case!
 
michaelsviews

michaelsviews

macrumors 65816
Sep 25, 2007
1,476
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New England
keterboy said:
The REAL question here is the HUGE bezel that needs to vanish.
Click to expand...

Bezel being the piece of aluminum around the display/screen correct ?

You have a bezel around the 15" rMBP just that its the non functioning part of the display or screen itself.

Not arguing but what difference does it make if it's the aluminum or dark glass?

As for battery life the MBA I have is doing awesome on battery life, just my opinion
 
maflynn

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,448
43,369
iZac said:
It annoys me that Apple are increasingly pushing their major updates to the Autumn / Christmas season. I understand it, but it means we have to suffer a dearth of updates for 9 months should our purchasing needs not fall into Apples mandated seasonal glut.
Click to expand...
Meh, they position the products for maximum sales. Those who purchased new MBPs last fall probably won't be being a new MBA this fall, but. Since most folks don't buy new computers every year
 
Gudi

Gudi

Suspended
May 3, 2013
4,590
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Berlin, Berlin
MacRumors said:
That report added that the 12-inch MacBook Air would come with an ultra-high resolution 2304 x 1440 display, and was corroborated by the reliable Ming-Chi Kuo.
Click to expand...
Ultra-high, that's not a lie. I can remember when I thought a 27-inch iMac with 2560 x 1440 had high resolution. And it is 16:10 so it will feel more like the current 13-inch MacBook Air, not like the 11-inch (which for some reason is 16:9).
 
cmChimera

cmChimera

macrumors 601
Feb 12, 2010
4,273
3,762
michaelsviews said:
Bezel being the piece of aluminum around the display/screen correct ?

You have a bezel around the 15" rMBP just that its the non functioning part of the display or screen itself.

Not arguing but what difference does it make if it's the aluminum or dark glass?

As for battery life the MBA I have is doing awesome on battery life, just my opinion
Click to expand...

He wants the bezel to be used as a functional part of the display. In other words, an edge to edge screen.
 
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