Apple will reportedly refresh its MacBook lineup soon and may launch a smaller 12-inch model that ditches the fan and the mechanical trackpad.
So far, Apple has opted for a mechanical click button component with its MacBooks, but the upcoming model will reportedly sport a new trackpad design.
The information comes out of the Far East, as MacRumors spotted a new thread on Friday, March 21, on Chinese forum WeiPhone. The leak comes from a member who has previously revealed accurate photos and details regarding unreleased Apple devices. According to the post, Apple is planning to release a refreshed, slimmed-down MacBook soon.
More specifically, the latest info claims that Apple will unleash a radically redesigned 12-inch laptop without a fan. Moreover, this upcoming model will reportedly ditch the mechanical trackpad button and adopt a new solution for the multi-touch trackpad, but it remains unknown at this point what that solution will be.
The upcoming MacBook is rumored to launch with a high-resolution Retina display and boast a very slim design, with a clamshell form factor. The new laptop is expected to build on the success of the MacBook Air and rock a premium design.
The latest leak further claims that Apple will refresh its MacBook Air lineup "soon," while the MacBook Pro family will get a refresh later this year, sometime in September. The post also notes that Apple is indeed working on the much-rumored smartwatch dubbed the iWatch, but it's still in the prototype stage of its development process. According to the tipster, Apple is not expected to announce the iWatch anytime soon.
It remains to be seen just where exactly a 12-inch MacBook model would fit into Apple's lineup, but this is not the first time we've heard of such a version. Back in October 2013, well-known KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo was the first to claim that Apple would launch a 12-inch ultra-slim MacBook. At the time, the analyst said that the laptop's new format would "redefine laptop computing once again following the milestone created by the MacBook Air."
Apple has yet to officially confirm such plans, but the sources are credible and the information doesn't seem too farfetched. If the latest leak turns out to be accurate, we may hear all about a 12-inch redesigned MacBook Air very soon. We'll keep you up to date as soon as we learn more.
