In addition to posting mind-blowing iPhone sales expectations for the Christmas quarter, KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a note to investors seen by Apple Insider that Apple’s redesigned MacBook Air, a 12-inch device that should to be even slimmer and lighter than any of its predecessors, is supposed to be launched by the end of March.
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Kuo, often accurate about unreleased Apple products and future plans, did not reveal an actual release date for the rumored 12-inch Retina MacBook Air, but he did say the laptop will be launched this quarter and should help Apple increase Mac shipments by 2.6% this quarter, compared to the December period.
Apple is expected to sell some 6 million Mac units in the first three months of 2015, slightly up from the 5.9 million forecast for the fourth quarter of 2014. Apple on Tuesday will announce its sales performance for the December quarter.
The 12-inch MacBook Air has appeared in a variety of leaks so far, including a detailed report mentioning its main specs and design elements, and actual images showing purported MacBook Air parts.
The laptop is expected to pack a display of Retina-quality resolution, and Intel’s newest Core M processor, that actually allowed Apple to employ a fanless design for the 12-inch MacBook, making it thinner and lighter than other Air versions.