There is no official word yet from Apple regarding its next lineup of MacBooks this year. Although, the recent rumors suggest that the Cupertino-based tech firm has plans to expand its entry-level MacBook laptops. The latest one that is expected to arrive at the 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is the new 13-inch MacBook with Retina Display.
According to DigiTimes, Apple is about to unveil a new 13-inch Retina MacBook at the WWDC 2018 in June. This laptop model will not be on par with the company's current MacBook Pro series, although it is expected to feature some hardware upgrades, most especially on the display panel. The upcoming 13-inch MacBook is said to boast a screen with 2,560x1,600 pixels resolution with 226 pixels-per-inch (PPI) density. This is almost equivalent to the total screen resolution of the 13-inch MacBook Pro.
In spite of updated features of the 2018 MacBook with Retina Display, the reports claim that the laptop's price will not go any higher than the current 12-inch MacBook. This could be an effort to improve the performance Apple's low-tier Mac collection without compromising the cost. It is estimated that the new 13-inch Retina MacBook will have the same price as the current generation of MacBook Air, which costs around $999.
The cheaper 13-inch Retina MacBook will use the display technology from LG, and it is rumored that Apple almost inked a deal with an unnamed Chinese manufacturer to supply the screen panels. While the deal with the mentioned Chinese tech firm would significantly bring down the price of the new MacBook model, Apple has reportedly chosen LG instead due to quality issues.
Speaking of the MacBook Air, there are also rumors that the entry-level MacBook 2018 could put an end to the Mac Air series. The upcoming laptop might serve as a MacBook Air replacement, with features that are on the same level, if not slightly higher, than the current Mac Air model. However, some reports suggest that Apple is pushing through with a next-generation 13-inch MacBook Air this year. With this, the public might see two separate MacBook models coming up at the WWDC.
The MacBook 2018 with Retina Display is likely to enter mass production in the second half of May, just in time for its official launch at the WWDC event on June 4.
