clouseau rueful: Next-generation MacBook Air and iPad Mini to get Retina displays: reports

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Next-generation MacBook Air and iPad Mini to get Retina displays: reports

Reports have surfaced in Asia that when Apple's ultrabook and 7-inch tablets are refreshed in June they will both receive high definition displays.

The latest rumors surrounding Apple's product plans for the coming year focus on the iPad Mini and its MacBook Air ultrabook computer. According to emsodm.com, the MacBook Air will get a long overdue Retina display in June to bring it into line with the rest of Apple's notebook range -- the 15-inch MacBook Pro has featured a Retina Display option since 2011, while the 13-inch MacBook Pro received its high-definition display in October last year.

If the rumors are true, then the addition of a Retina display to such a slim and lightweight device will be a stroke of engineering genius. Retina displays are thicker and heavier than standard displays and therefore adding one to an ultrabook without compromising its form will require extreme manufacturing knowhow.

A Retina display is also expected to grace the next incarnation of the iPad Mini and while it would be welcomed by many potential customers, the issue Apple faces is cost. DigiTimes has done the calculations and claims that the display upgrade could lead to a 30 percent upgrade in its retail price. At $329, the iPad Mini is already the world's most expensive 7-inch tablet. Updating the display could push the price over the $400 mark.

However, one rumor, namely that of an upcoming Apple smartwatch is beginning to be questioned. In a piece entitled ?Apple iWatch Leaks Drip with Desperation,' Forbes contributor Nigam Arora suggests this week that the story of the iWatch was intentionally leaked to three different news outlets, by Apple, in order to create a buzz and to counteract claims being made by investors and analysts that the company had lost its innovative edge. The decision is also likely to have been prompted by similar stories that leaked at the beginning of the month claiming that Samsung was developing a smartwatch.