14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is marching forward with plans to release an all-new MacBook Air that creates a clear distinction between the notebook and tablet computers with the help of a 12-inch display, a new battery, and a different internal layout of the parts.
Sources from the upstream supply chain in Taiwan tell DigiTimes that “Apple's new 12-inch MacBook Air will enter mass production in the third quarter,” adding that Quanta Computer will be handling the assembly.
The sources noted that Apple’s reasoning has to do with the fact that the 11-inch Air has a screen size almost as big (or as small, depending on how you look at it) as the iPad series, and since iPad sales are cannibalizing MacBook demand, something needs to be done.
The sources noted that “the company is looking to establish a clear boundary between the two product lines,” adding that Apple will most likely stop producing the 11-inch MacBook Air altogether sometime in the future.
In addition to sporting a 12-inch display, the all-new Air will have a different internal layout, a new battery, “while its industrial design will be similar to its existing counterparts using an unibody aluminum chassis.”
There have been many rumors about a 12-inch iPad Pro being tested at Apple, but those plans have since been scrapped, according to the sources. Instead, the 12-inch Air prevailed as a more feasible solution for the long-term, and some company watchers say it will sport a Retina display.
While the 12-inch iPad project has been shelved, it’s still very likely that Apple will further want to bridge the gap between its laptops and tablets by introducing this device at some point in the future.
Industry watchers have said that Apple has been toying with the idea of embedding a touch-sensitive keyboard in the Pro tablet’s Smart Cover, much like Microsoft did with its Surface Pro range of tablet computers.
Such a move would undoubtedly cause a bit of stir in the tech media, and even more so coupled with the split-screen multitasking functionality that has been rumored to be coming in iOS 8.
The 12-inch MacBook Air could be unveiled at the iPhone 6 event in fall, or at a separate event if the Cupertino company has more new products lined up for unveiling (such as a revamped Apple TV or the elusive iWatch).
In related (Taiwan) news, Taiwan's retail chain Tsann Kuen is working with Apple to offer customers credits for trading in their old iPads towards the purchase of an iPad Air.