The 12-inch MacBook Air release date may also happen in the fall as reports claimed that the device will be given the green light for mass production next month.
According to a report from DigiTimes, Qanta Computer will begin the mass production of the rumored 12-inch MacBook Air in the third quarter, which, technically, will be starting next month. The report added that Apple will retain the design of the current MacBook Air with minimal changes to accommodate tweaks in the internal structures as well as modifications in the battery.
The report also said that Qanta Computer was also responsible for the manufacturing of the bigger iPad with 12-inch screen display dubbed as iPad Pro. The iPad Pro was rumored to be released in the second half of 2014, but the tablet is supposedly delayed and may see the light of the day in early 2015.
According to the sources cited by Apple Insider, the new format of MacBook Air is set to define the boundary between the 11-inch lightweight laptop and Apple's tablet with 9.7 screen panel.
Meanwhile, KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo predicted earlier that Apple will launch the 12-inch MacBook Air in the middle or end of the third quarter. According to Kuo, who has a credible reputation forecasting Apple's hardware, the 12-inch model is a combination of 11-inch portability and 13-inch model's performance. Thus, consumers can expect the device to be lightweight while delivering incredible performance. He also added that the new laptop will pack a Retina Display.
On the other hand, Apple slipped the updated 13-inch MacBook Air last month. The revamped models feature a slight bump on its processor from 1.3GHz to 1.4GHz. Moreover, the model boasts a battery capacity of up to 12 hours.
Some of the key features of the 13-inch lightweight laptop are: 13.3-inch monitor with 1,440 x 900 screen resolution; 1.35kg; 128GB or 256GB SSD; 1.4GHz Intel Core i5; 4GB RAM; 2x USB 3.0; Mini DisplayPort / Thunderbolt 2.0; Memory card reader; 720p FaceTime camera.
