According to a report from 9to5Mac, Apple has plans to announce updates to many of its Mac computers at WWDC. The models to be updated include the 15″ MacBook Pro, the 11″ and 13″ MacBook Air models and the iMac. All of the various portable models being updated are rumored to be getting a Retina display boost.
The site describes the upgrades that its sources say will be coming for Apple’s lineup:
According to sources, Apple is planning to update at least four out of their five Mac lines at the June 11 WWDC kickoff keynote. Apple’s current Mac lines are the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac mini, and Mac Pro. We are hearing that Apple will release two configurations of the redesigned 15-inch MacBook Pro, but it is unclear what will happen to the other MacBook Pro screen sizes. We previously reported that Apple is working on a version of the 11 inch and 13 inch MacBook Airs with Retina Displays, and we are led to believe that these new ultra-thin notebooks will serve as the second Mac update announcement at WWDC. Apple will likely release two new configurations of both MacBook Air screen sizes.
It’s not clear whether the iMac, which is also said to be getting an upgrade, would also get a Retina upgrade, or just a redesign. The Mac Pro and Mac mini aren’t mentioned by the site as receiving an upgrade. There are apparently a few accessories on the way.
Rolling out updates to at least 3, and as much as 5, new models of Macs at once is uncharacteristic for Apple. But so is massively changing the resolution of its displays all at once. Adding a Retina display to one Mac and not offering it on others may not give developers and web designers the impetus they need to develop for resolution independent (or super high-res) displays. Moving most of the Mac lineup at once would definitely make a bigger splash.
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It would also make most PC displays look terrible overnight.
We previously discussed the possibility of Retina displays in Macs, concluding that they would pose a technically intimidating, but not insurmountable, challenge for release in 2012. Specifically, a 3840×2160 pixel display would over double the pixels, have plenty of room for a 2048×1526 app mockup image and be easier to pack into a MacBook sized screen.
If Apple cut a deal with Sharp — who has begun to ship panels of this resolution — to supply Retina displays for the iPad 3 then I definitely wouldn’t put it past them to have used that leverage to score an impossible price on panels for its Mac lineup.
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