Here’s another interesting report this morning: according to DigiTimes, Apple is getting ready to release a new 11.6-inch “MacBook” before the end of the year. Specifically, it appears that Quanta (Apple manufacturing partner) is scheduled to ship 400.000 / 500.000 units of the aforementioned 11.6-inch computer.
Meanwhile, Quanta has reportedly landed orders for 11.6-inch MacBooks from Apple. Shipments of 11.6-inch MacBooks are expected to top 400,000-500,000 units in 2010.
As MacRumors notices, though, it’s more likely that the referred product is a MacBook Air rather than a MacBook. The MacBook was last updated in May, while an update for the Air model is long overdue. We also heard rumors about Apple placing orders for a 11.6-inch display components earlier this year. That would make sense, in my opinion: an even thinner, lighter and smaller Air model running OS X for anyone who needs an ultra-portable OS X machine. Call it a “netbook” if you want.
Apple is known for releasing new MacBook models in the October / November timeframe, so the release may be very near.
