New 13-inch MacBook Air replacement likely in the works for this year
According to DigiTimes, Apple is gearing up to debut a new 13-inch MacBook Air replacement. The report claims General Interface Solution (GIS) is expected to ramp up production on LCD display orders for the new model. GIS first began supplying the displays for existing MacBooks in the fourth quarter of 2017.
Touch panel maker General Interface Solution (GIS) is expected to land more LCM (LCD module) orders from Apple, which reportedly plans to release an entry-level 13-inch MacBook in the second half of 2018, according to industry sources.
The current MacBook Air hasn’t been updated since it’s processor bump back in June. Since then, Apple has been pushing its newest 12-inch MacBook that offers a Retina display, but a step down in processors. The 12-inch model features Intel’s coreM series processors which are most commonly found in tablets. Despite its lack of refreshes, the laptop (originally introduced in 2008) has still seen increases in sales due to its relatively affordable pricing. After it’s last refresh in 2016, Apple killed the 11-inch MacBook Air and we do not expect to see it come back nor a drop in prices for this newer model.
There’s little information on what the new Air would offer users and what would set it apart from its MacBook Pro lineup. It’s been rumored that Apple is looking into using ARM-based core processor chips for future MacBooks, which would reduce the their dependence on Intel. This news comes shortly after we’ve heard that there wouldn’t be any significant changes to the Pro line-up this year.