Apple’s New 13.3-Inch MacBook To Feature MacBook Pro-Like Display

A report fresh from Taiwan is claiming that Apple is currently working on a new entry-level MacBook that has the same screen resolution as the MacBook Pro. The report also claims that the Cupertino giant is likely to ship around 4 million units of the new macOS-running notebook this 2018.

DigiTimes Research senior analyst Jim Hsiao disclosed Monday that Apple is gearing up for the release of a new entry-level MacBook device at the end of the second quarter. What’s special about this new MacBook is its pricing. Apple is believed to be selling the laptop with a price tag that’s very similar to that of the existing MacBook Air or just slightly higher.

Hsiao also revealed that Apple initially wanted to obtain its panel supply for the new entry-level MacBook from a China-based maker — a move that would have helped in reducing the cost of the device. However, the tech giant eventually decided to just source the display panels from South Korea’s LG Display mainly because there were issues with the China-based manufacturer.

The analyst further divulged that Apple’s new MacBook will come with 13.3-inch a-Si panels. The notebook’s display is also said to have the same screen resolution as Apple’s 13.3-inch MacBook Pro. This means the new entry-level MacBook will likely launch with a 2,560x1,600 screen resolution and 227 ppi pixel density.

LG Display is reportedly shipping the panels starting in April, a month or two before the new MacBook is scheduled to enter mass production at the end of May, or in early-June. Quanta Computer is in charge of assembling 70 percent of the orders, while Foxconn Electronics is tasked to handle the rest.

In his report, Hsiao indicated that Apple has set its shipment goal for the new laptop to six million units for this year. However, he personally expects shipments for the new MacBook to reach around four million units in 2018. This is because Hsiao thinks the product will not really stimulate strong demand from consumers.

Hsiao’s report comes less than a week after KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that Apple could be launching a less expensive version of its MacBook Air device this year. According to Kuo, the low-cost MacBook Air will most likely launch in the second quarter, particularly during Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

Apple hasn’t reacted to both Kuo’s prediction and Hsiao’s report, so it’s not clear which one is more credible. Could the Cupertino giant be preparing two low-cost laptops? Or, something got lost in translation and the two analysts are actually referring to the same thing? Either way, this is definitely good news to fans who want an upgraded yet more affordable macOS device.