Apple 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro coming, analyst says
Apple is expected to launch a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, according to an analyst at NPD DisplaySearch.
DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim told CNET that a MacBook Pro with a 13.3-inch 2,560 x 1,600 resolution Retina display is slated for production in the fourth quarter. Apple unveiled a 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display in June.
Shim does not know exactly when Apple would launch the smaller MacBook Pro, but speculates that it won't happen until after the launch of the rumored iPad Mini. It's been rumored that a smaller, cheaper 7.85-inch iPad will be announced on Oct. 17.
In July, AppleInsider reported that KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple would launch a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display in September. Kuo also mentioned a smaller iPad would be released this year, although his original estimate of a September launch has passed without an iPad Mini.
The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display weighs 4.46 pounds and is 0.71 inches thick. Apple calls it the world's highest-resolution notebook display, with a 2,880 x 1,800 display. The next generation MacBook will ship with OS X Mountain Lion, an HDMI port, Thunderbolt, smaller MagSafe power port and Intel Quad-core i7 processor.
If the company introduces a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, it will likely share similar specifications. But consumers can expect a lower entry price-point than the current $2,199 for a 15-inch model.
Apple has not commented on rumors of a next generation 13-inch MacBook Pro or iPad Mini.
