13-Inch Retina MacBook Pro and Updated iMacs Reportedly Due in September-October

MacRumors · Jul 23, 2012

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today released a significant new report outlining his estimates of Apple's product launch schedule for the second half of this year, pointing to all-new iPod touch and iPod nano models as well as new iPhone and iPad mini models and tweaked internals for the full-size iPad.

Kuo's report also touches on the Mac side, reiterating his earlier claims that Apple will be launching its 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro in that timeframe. He believes, however, that impact from the launch will initially be muted amid tight supplies and consumer budgets that will likely prioritize purchases of new iPhone and iPad mini models.

We think consumers who initially planned to purchase the 13" MacBook Pro and Air will turn to the 13" Retina MacBook Pro instead because it has an attractive panel, its price is similar to MacBook Pro and it has a better balance between power consumption and form factor. However, as supply is limited due to panel and assembly yield rate issues, shipment of the 13" Retina MacBook Pro won't be able to satisfy demand. And we think consumers' budgets will transfer to new iOS products after Apple launches them, which suggests that overall MacBook shipments will not grow meaningfully on the 13" Retina MacBook Pro.

While early 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro sales may be modest, Kuo does believes that with Retina displays clearly being the future of Mac notebooks the stage will be set for explosive growth heading into 2013.

As for the iMac, Kuo believes that new Ivy Bridge-based iMacs have been delayed by screen lamination issues, with Apple's supply chain status suggesting it will be a tight schedule to meet an end of September launch for the updated models.

The chances of the new iMac debuting in September are slim. But, judging by the current supply chain situation, it could be rolled out by end-September. [...]

[Supply chain] shipments for Mac desktop models will be low due to inventory adjustment in July, and will see the most dramatic MoM rise in August as shipments for the new iMac begin.

Several other sources have claimed that Apple will be targeting an October launch for updated iMacs, although there has been disagreement over whether the new models will include Retina displays, which are almost certainly the most highly-anticipated feature in the product's future. Kuo's report does not address whether or not he believes the feature will be included in the next revision or held for a later update.

Article Link: 13-Inch Retina MacBook Pro and Updated iMacs Reportedly Due in September-October

DrJohnnyN · Jul 23, 2012

Can't wait!

Love my 15" rMBP. Will buy the 13" rMBP for my little sister entering college.

luqtotheman · Jul 23, 2012

Doubt it, don't see a 13 inch Retina happening anytime soon.

WatchTheThrone · Jul 23, 2012

Waiting on that iMac....but I think it'll all be released in October along with the new iPhone for a VERY good holiday season!!

KdParker · Jul 23, 2012

come on new iPhone....

Hakone · Jul 23, 2012

Looks like i may get a new toy soon!

Reaktor5 · Jul 23, 2012

If Apple was going to do a 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro this year they would have announced it WWDC.

belltree · Jul 23, 2012

Hopefully "tweaked internals for the full-size iPad" will turn out to be a die shrink for the A5X inside the iPad3 to 32nm or possibly smaller. A decrease in heat and power consumption would be welcome.

wickerman1893 · Jul 23, 2012

It looks like it's going to be a great fall for Apple!

blahbrah · Jul 23, 2012

Reaktor5 said:
If Apple was going to do a 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro this year they would have announced it WWDC.

Yeah I highly doubt Apple would so quickly cannabalize its own line. It makes more sense in the next Intel update for the MBA and MBP 13" to get rolled into one.

koobcamuk · Jul 23, 2012

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Some of the designs we have are ripe for innovation (iMac design) and others (iPod touch) can't really be much improved on.

Of course, this is completely subjective, but that's forums for you

charlituna · Jul 23, 2012

koobcamuk said:
and others (iPod touch) can't really be much improved on.

oh I don't know. Right now the iPod Touch is basically an iPhone that doesn't make phone calls. it wouldn't hurt for them to do something to give it a unique spot in this. Like say make it more of a 5-6 inch size.

as for the laptops and iMacs, right now the Retina is way higher priced and I can't see them putting it into a 13 inch just yet. Maybe in a year. With the iMacs they might do a single high end 27 inch model to kick things off but not all of them. Perhaps the Cinema Display as well.

Since the iMac tends to be more the family machine and with talk that the Cinema Display lineup might gain HDMI input and a larger size model they make sense for a holiday quarter release

Dammit Cubs · Jul 23, 2012

it makes no sense because during their presentation, they said that the retina macbook pro was a "sneek peak" into the future of computer. Which means its not ready.

So 2 months later, we are ready? Um no.

There will be no 13 inch retina.

dagamer34 · Jul 23, 2012

I'm trying to figure out how yields of the 15" screens are better than the 13" screens when they are all cut from the same manufacturing line. We already know that the price premium for the screens isn't that much relatively speaking, so they must be offering it at a lower price and know they can't meet demand. A retina 13" does make sense for why it never got a resolution bump though, so that it's far easier to compare the two side by side (1280x800 and 2560x1600 are clear multiples of each other). I also believe that this means the Air will not see a retina display for a very long time due to battery life concerns.

Rocketman · Jul 23, 2012

Each of these reports are remarkably specific. Given the past accuracy he has access to accurate supply chain details.

This is also consistent with my own conclusion based on some things I hear from "unverifiable" third parties leading to my statement that the time to buy stock is July-August 2012.

This also is remarkable in the iPad update details and estimates in initial new display constraints. It didn't say but perhaps one could surmise the new iPad might also offer LTE.

Rocketman

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/14989375/

lannisters4life · Jul 23, 2012

WTF are "screen lamination issues"? If this is true, the iMac would have some kind of new screen, because they're laminating the current ones fine enough. I'd bet on a 24" before a retina 21" or retina 27", but hey, love to be wrong.

sshhoott · Jul 23, 2012

"Across the year you’re going to see a lot more of this kind of innovation. We are just getting started.”

-Tim Cook

4076a8d0-15a9-484f-a71e-deb96f51b6dc_large_verge_medium_landscape.jpeg

edry.hilario · Jul 23, 2012

wheres the link to Kuo's article ?

MacinDoc · Jul 23, 2012

Rocketman said:
Each of these reports are remarkably specific. Given the past accuracy he has access to accurate supply chain details.

This is also consistent with my own conclusion based on some things I hear from "unverifiable" third parties leading to my statement that the time to buy stock is July-August 2012.

This also is remarkable in the iPad update details and estimates in initial new display constraints. It didn't say but perhaps one could surmise the new iPad might also offer LTE.

Rocketman

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/14989375/

Image

It's been a long time since a source with this good a track record stuck their neck out with so many very specific predictions reaching so many months ahead. I agree, it sounds like they have a lot of connections with suppliers.

WildCowboy · Jul 23, 2012

edry.hilario said:
wheres the link to Kuo's article ?

It is not publicly available, and we're not authorized to release the whole thing.

12dylan34 · Jul 23, 2012

It's good to just see a chart from a believable source like this. I would love for a new iMac to be released tomorrow or the next day, but the chart makes it a bit more bearable to wait, honestly. If only Apple would release charts like this themselves...

MacBandit · Jul 23, 2012

If they make a Retina 13" MBP I hope they put a real GPU in it. I really can't see how they couldn't since the on board GPU can barely drive the OS on the retina display so to do anything else I would think they would have to put a dedicated GPU in. If they do they'll finally have the 13" Pro that everyone has wanted for so long.

thejadedmonkey · Jul 23, 2012

I hope it has a real GPU and isn't ungodly expensive.

MacinDoc · Jul 23, 2012

lannisters4life said:
WTF are "screen lamination issues"? If this is true, the iMac would have some kind of new screen, because they're laminating the current ones fine enough. I'd bet on a 24" before a retina 21" or retina 27", but hey, love to be wrong.

The retina display on the rMBP has no glass covering the display. There must be some protective layer laminated over the display, or it could be damaged too easily. Heck, I have a Samsung LCD TV that was damaged by foam toy that one of the kids threw a little too close to it. Prior to that, it was a nice TV, but unfortunately the protective covering was insufficient. It's quite possible that a protective covering that Apple is using for the display is not adhering well, or that the adhesive is causing discoloration, as was seen in some previous iMacs.

----------

thejadedmonkey said:
I hope it has a real GPU and isn't ungodly expensive.

It will be a real GPU, but a portable one, as dictated by the form factor, unfortunately. Whether it's expensive will depend on your point of view - it will be more than the current iMac, but you won't be able to buy anything else like it for any price.

edry.hilario · Jul 23, 2012

MacinDoc said:
The retina display on the rMBP has no glass covering the display. There must be some protective layer laminated over the display, or it could be damaged too easily. Heck, I have a Samsung LCD TV that was damaged by foam toy that one of the kids threw a little too close to it. Prior to that, it was a nice TV, but unfortunately the protective covering was insufficient. It's quite possible that a protective covering that Apple is using for the display is not adhering well, or that the adhesive is causing discoloration, as was seen in some previous iMacs.

----------

It will be a real GPU, but a portable one, as dictated by the form factor, unfortunately. Whether it's expensive will depend on your point of view - it will be more than the current iMac, but you won't be able to buy anything else like it for any price.

the retina macbook pro does have a glass protecting the screen remeber 60% less reflective.. what are you talking about ???

13-Inch Retina MacBook Pro and Updated iMacs Reportedly Due in September-October

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