Display Industry Analyst Expresses Skepticism About 12-Inch MacBook Rumor

[MacRumors]

Last week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple was considering launching an all-new 12-inch notebook at the end of 2023 or in early 2024. Gurman said it was unclear if the notebook would be a low-end MacBook or a higher-end MacBook Pro.

In response to the report, Ross Young of Display Supply Chain Consultants has revealed that he is currently "skeptical" about a new 12-inch MacBook.

"We are skeptical on a 12" MacBook at this point," wrote Young, in tweet shared with his Super Followers today. "Apple's strategy for notebooks is currently 13" and larger. Companies in the MacBook Pro display supply chain we talked to are not aware of it."

Gurman and Young are both very reliable sources when it comes to future Apple products, so it is possible that Apple is still in the early stages of developing a new 12-inch MacBook, to the point that the company's supply chain currently has no knowledge of the plans. Apple also routinely prototypes a wide variety of products internally, and it does not always move forward with releasing all of them, as Gurman pointed out.

Young has revealed a wide range of accurate insights into Apple's plans, such as the iPhone 13 Pro's ProMotion display, the sixth-generation iPad mini's 8.3-inch display, the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro's mini-LED displays with ProMotion, the ‌new MacBook Air's slightly larger 13.6-inch display size, and more, so his comments are worth taking seriously, but it's still too early to rule out the possibility of a new 12-inch MacBook.

Apple has released both lower-end and higher-end 12-inch notebooks in the past. At the low end, Apple introduced an ultra-thin 12-inch MacBook that weighed just two pounds in 2015, but the notebook was discontinued in 2019. And at the higher end, Apple offered a 12-inch PowerBook G4 in the mid-2000s, prior to the original MacBook Pro.

Article Link: Display Industry Analyst Expresses Skepticism About 12-Inch MacBook Rumor

 

[Karma*Police]

It always seemed dubious but I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple released a 12” M2 MB at the same price as a 13” M1 Air… adding complexity to its product lineup and confusing users seems to be the norm for Apple these days.

 

[t0rqx]

There is a reason it got ditched. Also we want bigger screen real estates. So, no this is not going to happen. Not for a Macbook anyway.

 

[azentropy]

I really thought Apple's first Apple Silicon Mac was going to be a 12" MB and they were going to price it at $999 or less. They surprised me with making the entry MBA @ $999. Now with the MBA going up to $1199 there might be room to bring in back a 12" MB at that price point.

 

[senttoschool]

Never liked the idea of a 12” MacBook. Might as well as carry an iPad.

I do like the idea of an MacBook SE and a 15” Air.

 

[UltimateSyn]

Gurman’s accurate enough, but Ross’ track record is near flawless. I’d believe him first.

 

[gpat]

We're missing a 18", not a 12" in this lineup.

 

[UltimateSyn]

We're missing a 18", not a 12" in this lineup.

At the low low weight of 6.7 pounds.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

I pick Mr. Ross Young over Mr. Mark Gurman. Agree with a comment above. What we need is a 18" MacBook.

Please introduce iMac color's line up.

 

[cambric]

Well now with the new MBA released, prepare for 4-5 articles per week about this computer for the next two years or so

 

[azentropy]

There is a reason it got ditched. Also we want bigger screen real estates. So, no this is not going to happen. Not for a Macbook anyway.

That is one reason, but the bigger reason IMO was poor performance and battery life. Both of those issues are addressed quite nicely with Apple Silicon.

 

[t0rqx]

That is one reason, but the bigger reason IMO was poor performance and battery life. Both of those issues are addressed quite nicely with Apple Silicon.

I see absolutely no reason to get a 12”, I would directly go for a 13” Air. Unless you want an overpriced terminal device, is what comes up in my mind.

Anyways they need to go back to simplifying the line up and ditch terms like Air, Max, SE, Ultra, God etc…

 

[JPack]

You can feed bad info to find leakers, but you can’t do the same to the supply chain. The LCD makers ask for money upfront to build capacity.

Young +1

 

[PlayUltimate]

I see no reason for this size in the Apple laptop line-up. Let's simplify things again: MacBook (Air): Small - Medium, MacBook Pro: Small-Medium-Large(?). And I would drop the "Air" designation except for the brand name.

 

[jav6454]

You can feed bad info to find leakers, but you can’t do the same to the supply chain. The LCD makers ask for money upfront to build capacity.

Young +1

Yes they do, but Young is not an LCD maker, just an analyst.

 

[reyesmac]

If there was a credible rumor of a less expensive product in the pipeline right after announcing new more expensive products, it is in Apples best interest to discredit that report to prevent people from waiting to upgrade. Apple designed a different looking model than the one we got. Now it's time to find out if that was a different model to be released or if they are producing fake products to catch leakers.

 

[blairh]

12" MBP makes no sense. If this machine becomes reality, it's either a smaller MBA or the return of the 12" MacBook.

 

[Daum]

I still have my 2015 12in and have been waiting for a successor. The M2 air is close but rumors of a white bezel and keyboard was a no-go for me so I grabbed the 14in Pro. 😭 So yes release a new 12in!!!

 

[MayaUser]

Apple is removing the mini iphone, so Apple is going bigger and bigger
Probably the next mini removed it will be the ipad mini (or the ipad mini will be the current 11" ipad and the 12.9" and 14.1" will be the two ipad pros in the future)
So i dont see the 12" Macbook

 

[azentropy]

I see absolutely no reason to get a 12”, I would directly go for a 13” Air. Unless you want an overpriced terminal device, is what comes up in my mind.

Anyways they need to go back to simplifying the line up and ditch terms like Air, Max, SE, Ultra, God etc…

Many people find a sub 2lb notebook capable of running MacOS very enticing.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

I pick Mr. Ross Young over Mr. Mark Gurman. Agree with a comment above. What we need is a 18" MacBook.

Please introduce iMac color's line up.

if anything a 18' would be a pro don't ya think

 

[JPack]

Yes they do, but Young is not an LCD maker, just an analyst.

True, but his team comes all over the display industry including executives from Samsung.

Team - Japan Site

www.displaysupplychain.com

 

[Jayayess1190]

I want it. Hope it is true.

 

[_Spinn_]

Gurman and Young are both very reliable sources when it comes to future Apple products, so it is possible that Apple is still in the early stages of developing a new 12-inch MacBook, to the point that the company's supply chain currently has no knowledge of the plans. Apple also routinely prototypes a wide variety of products internally, and it does not always move forward with releasing all of them, as Gurman pointed out.

This seems like the most likely explanation to me.

 

[JPack]

This seems like the most likely explanation to me.

Gurman claims the 12-inch MacBook is coming late 2023 or early 2024. That's basically 18 months from now and typically the lead time suppliers need to prepare. Even before that, suppliers would be sending samples to bid on Apple's project. So Ross should have heard something from his industry sources.