Rumor: New 11.6 inch MacBook Air on tap for this fall
Another new device rumor has popped up, this time about a replacement for the MacBook Air. Apparently, the "old" MacBook Air isn't selling too well, so Apple is looking at refreshing the line with a smaller device equipped with an 11.6" (measured diagonally) screen.
A device of this size is beginning to encroach on dangerous territory, considering how Steve Jobs and company have made negative comments about "netbooks" in the past. AppleInsider conjectures that the power and premium price of a more svelte MacBook Air would place it more in the ultraportable category than that of a netbook.
Not only would the new MacBook Air have a smaller display to differentiate it from the existing models, but rumor has it that the device uses a partial carbon-fiber enclosure to make it thinner and lighter. The new Air would allegedly pack an Intel Core i-series ultra-low voltage processor for extra battery life, Additional word from DigiTimes is that orders have been placed with manufacturer Quanta for 400,000 to 500,000 of the new Airs by the end of 2010.
The last time the MacBook Air received a refresh was in June of 2009, when the price dropped on the base model and a faster version with an optional SSD was released.
[via AppleInsider]
