14 DAY TRIAL // Citing the usual sources from the upstream supply chain, Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes reveals that Apple's suppliers have “started mass shipping new iMac all-in-one PCs and Retina Display 13.3-inch MacBook Pros.”
Casting no doubt on the sources’ reliability, the Taiwanese site reported estimates that the official launch of the Retina Display 13.3-inch MacBook Pro should be in “either September or October to target back-to-school demand and the year-end holidays.”
It is worth pointing out that Apple will undoubtedly release upgraded display-models of its entire notebook lineup at one point, making the 13-inch MacBook Pro the best bet for Apple’s next announcement on the laptop front.
Interestingly, the report also mentions the iMac, Apple’s popular all-in-one desktop computer. It appears that the Mac makers had plans to equip this line with Retina displays too, but poor yield rates on the suppliers’ side made it impossible to have them ready for 2012.
According to the sources in question, “Apple originally planned to release three new [iMac] models with upgraded panels and CPUs, but due to poor yields of the panels, the mass production of the high-end model, has been postponed, without any launch schedule.”
Apple is said to be holding two events this fall, one of which is two days away. Held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, the September 12 event will yield Apple’s much-anticipated iPhone 5 announcement, and reportedly some iPod upgrades too.
A second event purportedly planned for October is said to be for the launch of an all-new product from the Cupertino giant – the iPad mini.
If Apple does have a few flashy features to discuss in its Macintosh line, the October event could be perfect for this “one more thing.”