If Apple didn’t already have enough on their plate with supposed iPad mini, iPod nano, iPod touch, and next-gen iPhone launch plans, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims (via MacRumors) that Apple is planning to release updated iMacs and a 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro this fall as well!
Kuo has previously claimed that Apple will release a 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro within that timeframe, noting that the machine is likely to replace the 13-inch MacBook Air for many consumers due to the ultra high resolution screen. Unfortunately, he also notes that the device will be in short supply at first:
We think consumers who initially planned to purchase the 13” MacBook Pro and Air will turn to the 13” Retina MacBook Pro instead because it has an attractive panel, its price is similar to MacBook Pro and it has a better balance between power consumption and form factor. However […] shipment of the 13” Retina MacBook Pro won’t be able to satisfy demand.
The analyst also notes that many consumers will spend money on Apple’s new iOS devices (iPad mini, next-gen iPhone, etc) rather than MacBooks at first, concluding that the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro is unlikely to increase overall sales of MacBooks.
Apple is also reportedly planning to release new iMacs this fall, perhaps in late September or early October. The new models are expected to support new Ivy Bridge processors and USB 3, as with the new MacBooks – and as to why new iMacs weren’t released at WWDC, Kuo states that the machines were delayed by “screen lamination issues.”
Kuo is typically a reliable source, and has made a lot of claims lately – if Kuo is right about all of his projections, Apple could release 6 major product updates this fall: A new iPhone, redesigned iPod touch and iPod nano, the rumored iPad mini, the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro, and new iMacs!
Buckle up, Apple aficionados – you’re in for a wild ride this fall!
