Apple 12-Inch Retina MacBook And 4K iMac Reportedly In Development

Fall 2014 is shaping up to be a busy season for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) as it gears up for the launch of several products, including the rumored iPhone 6 and iWatch. But that doesn’t mean that iMacs and MacBooks will be left out of the mix.

Following the rumored mid-September launch of the iPhone 6 and iOS 8, Apple is said to be working on a 12-inch Retina MacBook, according to a Wednesday report by 9to5Mac. The Cupertino, California tech titan is also rumored to be developing an iMac or monitor with a 4K resolution display.

The possibility of new notebook and desktop hardware from Apple complements its development of its upcoming Mac operating system, OS X Yosemite, which will be released as a public beta on Thursday.

It’s unknown if the 12-inch MacBook will be classified as a MacBook Pro or Macbook Air by Apple, but the details line up with a research note issued by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in April, which pegged Q4 FY2014 as Apple’s release window for a 12-inch “all new design ultra slim MacBook,” according to AppleInsider.

While OS X Yosemite is expected to launch in October, the rumored 12-inch Retina MacBook could be delayed into late 2014 or early 2015 due to Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:INTC) Broadwell processor shortages, according to a July 18 report by Taiwan’s Economic Daily News.

The higher resolution Macbook and iMac are reportedly being used by Apple as selling point for OS X Yosemite, which will feature an overhauled interface with colorful icons, translucent window design and a number of other UI features.

However, if Apple does debut its new MacBook in October with OS X Yosemite, it will also join the highly rumored iWatch, which is also expected to launch in the same month.